WEST CHESTER, Pa. - The Bloomsburg University baseball team suffered a doubleheader sweep at 14th-ranked West Chester University on Sunday afternoon. The Golden Rams got a one-hitter from Mike Cipolla as they took game one by a 4-0 final. Then, in game two, West Chester rallied from seven runs down in the seventh inning to complete the sweep with a 10-9, eight-inning, victory. The Huskies dropped to 21-19-1 overall and 8-11-1 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division while the Golden Rams improved to 26-7 overall and 16-4 in league play.

Game one featured a pitcher's duel between Cipolla and Huskies' freshman starter, Chad Cooperman (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury). Neither team was able to crack the scoreboard until West Chester scored all four runs of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Shane Dressler had the big blow with a two-run home run to give the Golden Rams a 2-0 lead. Joe Sheeran had an RBI double and then later scored on a wild pitch for the third and fourth runs of the inning.

Cooperman had allowed only five hits through the first five innings before the Golden Rams scored four runs on three hits and an error in the sixth. The freshman righthander fell to 0-3 on the season after allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits in five and one-third innings. He walked one and struck out seven. Freshman Brett Alaimo (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) recorded the final two outs but did allow a hit and two wild pitches - the latter of which allowed the fourth run to score.

Cipolla had it in cruise control in game one as he allowed only a one-out single to junior Tyler Benson (Montville, N.J./Montville Township) in the top of the first inning. He walked one and struck out two to improve to 4-2 on the season.

The Huskies seemingly had game two in hand as they built up a 9-2 lead heading to the bottom of the seventh inning. Sophomore Jeremy Zezza (Exeter, Pa./Wyoming Area) came on in relief of redshirt senior Ryuta Amaike (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall), who had allowed two unearned runs on four hits over the first six innings. But, unfortunately for Bloomsburg, Zezza couldn't shut the door on West Chester.

A triple, a hit batter, and a three-run home run from Jared Melone quickly brought the Golden Rams to within four runs, 9-5. Zezza promptly retired two of the next three batters to bring the Huskies to within an out away from a split. But, another hit batter - Zezza's third of the inning - and a two-run double from Anthony Salomone cut the lead to 9-7 and ended the afternoon for Zezza. In came sophomore Trey Hinkle (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus), but he allowed back-to-back RBI singles from Clay Harwick and Nick Bateman to tie the game at 9-9. Hinkle was able to end the inning with the potential winning run just 90 feet away.

In the eighth, the Huskies got a runner to second on a single from sophomore Ryan Shiffer (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) and a sacrifice bunt from Amaike. But, two fly ball outs ended the inning and gave the Golden Rams a chance to win in the bottom half of the frame. In the home half, Dressler reached on a one-out single and then advanced to second on an infield single from Drew Jarmuz. Hinkle got the second out of the inning but Sheeran came through with a single to score pinch-runner Joey Coyle for the winning run.

Bloomsburg took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning against West Chester starter, Andrew Gernert. Benson drew a one-out walk, advanced to third on a single from senior Damin Muth (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland), and then scored on a sacrifice fly from Amaike for the first run of the game.

In the top of the third, the Huskies built the lead to 4-0. Freshman Cole Swiger (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) had a run-scoring double to give Bloomsburg a 2-0 advantage and then freshman Blake Gular (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton) drove home the next two runs with a two-run double to left field to plate both Swiger and freshman Tyler Nowmos (Wrightstown, Pa./Council Rock North), who reached on a one-out single.

West Chester took advantage of a pair of Bloomsburg errors in the bottom of the third and scored two unearned runs to cut the lead to 4-2. But, the Huskies got both runs back in the top of the fifth to take a 6-2 advantage. Swiger scored on a wild pitch for the first run and then Gular scored the second run of the inning when redshirt junior Austin Edgette (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) reached on an error.

In the top of the sixth, the Huskies added three more runs on an RBI single from Shiffer and a two-run single from Nowmos to extend the lead to 9-2.

Amaike was denied his fifth win of the season despite the strong outing. He allowed two runs (both unearned) on four hits in six innings. He walked four and struck out seven. Zezza pitched to eight batters in the seventh and allowed six runs (all earned) on three hits and three hit batsmen. Hinkle suffered the loss as he gave up two runs on five hits in one inning. He dropped to 3-3 on the season.

Josh McClain improved to 7-0 on the season for West Chester by pitching a scoreless eighth inning.

Bloomsburg had 11 hits in game two - three from Shiffer and two each from Nowmos, Swiger, and Gular. West Chester finished with 12 hits - eight in the last two innings.

The Huskies are scheduled to play against University of the Sciences in a single, nine-inning game at Danny Litwhiler Field on Tuesday, April 25. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.