BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg University baseball team played a pair of one-run games against 14th-ranked West Chester University on Saturday afternoon, winning the first game, 4-3, before falling in the nightcap, 5-4, to earn a split at Danny Litwhiler Field. The Huskies moved to 21-17-1 overall and 8-9-1 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division while the Golden Rams saw their record move to 24-7 overall and 14-4 in league play.

The Huskies got a strong pitching performance from junior Mike Warren (Garnerville, N.Y./St. Joseph Regional) in the opener as he was able to out-duel West Chester starter, Jon Fisher, to improve to 4-3 on the season. Warren allowed three runs on six hits, walked two, and struck out two and needed just 93 pitches for his third complete game of the season.

Neither starter allowed a hit until the third when West Chester's Anthony Salomone laced a one-out double down the left field line. After Warren issued a walk to Robert Knox, the junior righthander was able to induce an inning-ending double play off the bat of Nick Ward to end the inning. In the bottom half of the inning, freshman Cole Swiger (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) reached on a one-out double and then advanced to third on an infield single from freshman Nate Krizan (Montoursville, Pa./Loyalsock). After redshirt junior Austin Edgette (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) drew a walk to load the bases, junior Tyler Benson (Montville, N.J./Montville Township) followed with an eight-pitch free pass to drive home the first run of the game. However, Fisher retired senior Damin Muth (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland) and sophomore Ryan Shiffer (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) with the bases loaded to prevent further damage.

Bloomsburg took a 4-0 lead with a three-run fourth inning. Redshirt senior Ryuta Amaike (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) led off the inning with a double to right field and freshman Tyler Nowmos (Wrightstown, Pa./Council Rock North) followed by getting hit with a pitch to put runners at first and second with nobody out. Redshirt junior Cy Treaster (Lewistown, Pa./Mifflin County) bounced into a fielder's choice as the Golden Rams forced out Amaike at third base for the first out of the inning. But, Swiger followed with the big blow of the game - an opposite-field, three-run home run to right field - to extend the Huskies' lead to 4-0. The round-tripper came on a 2-2 pitch from Fisher and gave the freshman the team lead in home runs with seven on the season.

The visitors got a run back in the top of the fifth when Salomone doubled down the left field line to drive home Clay Harwick, who reached on a one-out fielder's choice. West Chester chipped away, again, in the top of the sixth when Shane Dressler belted a one-out, two-run home run to right field to cut the Bloomsburg lead to 4-3.

But, that was as close as the Golden Rams would get as Warren retired five consecutive batters to end the game.

Both teams mustered only six hits in the opener. Swiger led the Huskies by going 2-for-3 with two runs scored, a home run, and three runs batted in. Salomone went 2-for-3 for West Chester in the loss.

Fisher fell to 4-2 on the season after allowing four runs on six hits. He walked four and struck out six.

In game two, the Huskies jumped on West Chester starter, Eric Close, for a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. Edgette led off the game with a double off the very top of the center field fence and then scored when Benson singled back up the middle for the first run of the game. Two batters later, Shiffer singled to right center, allowing Benson to advance to second with one out. Amaike then reached on an error to load the bases and, after Nowmos bounced into a 5-2 fielder's choice for the second out of the inning, Shiffer scampered home on a wild pitch for the second run of the frame.

West Chester got a run back in the top of the second on a two-out solo home run from Nick Bateman off of sophomore starter, Ashton Raines (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven).

The Huskies led 2-1 until the top of the fourth when West Chester scored three times - on four hits and two Bloomsburg errors - to take a 4-2 advantage. Joe Sheeran was involved in the biggest play of the inning when he doubled to right field with two runners on base. Both runners scored and, as Sheeran tried to advance to third after a play at the plate, Shiffer's throw to third ended up in left field which allowed Sheeran to come all the way around the bases for the final run of the inning.

Bloomsburg threatened in the bottom of the fifth. After Close retired the first two batters of the inning, Shiffer doubled to left, Amaike was hit by a pitch, and Nowmos walked to load the bases with two outs. West Chester went to the bullpen and brought in Josh McClain to pitch to Treaster. On the very first pitch of the at bat, Treaster lifted a fly ball to right field that Knox caught, in foul territory, to end the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Huskies were able to tie the game at 4-4 against McClain. Swiger led off with a single and then advanced to second on a pinch hit single to right from freshman Andrew Holmes (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township). Edgette reached on a bunt single to load the bases with nobody out and Benson came through with a two-run double down the right field line to knot the score. Muth was hit by a pitch to reload the bases - still with nobody out. However, McClain struck out Shiffer and then got freshman pinch-hitter Blake Gular (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton) to bounce into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play to keep the Huskies from taking the lead.

West Chester took advantage in the seventh, scoring an unearned run after two more Huskies' miscues, to take a 5-4 lead. McClain stayed in the game to pitch the bottom of the seventh and plunked Treaster with one out before retiring the final two batters to preserve the split.

Raines went the distance and allowed five runs (two earned) on eleven hits to fall to 3-3 on the season. He did not walk a batter and struck out three. McClain improved to 6-0 despite allowing two runs on four hits in two and a-third innings. He struck out two.

Bloomsburg had ten hits in game two - three from Edgette and two each from Benson and Shiffer. Benson drove home three of Bloomsburg's four runs while the other scored on a wild pitch. West Chester had eleven hits - two from Dressler, Sheeran, and Salomone.

The two teams will conclude the four-game weekend series on Sunday afternoon, April 23, in West Chester. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.