WILSON, N.C. - The Bloomsburg University baseball team split a pair of slugfests on the final day of its spring trip on Wednesday. The Huskies dropped a 17-6 decision against Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) in a game that started late Tuesday night and finished on Wednesday morning before knocking off California University of Pennsylvania, 15-9, on Wednesday afternoon to close out the trip. Bloomsburg finished 3-1 in North Carolina and moved to 8-4 overall on the season.

In the opener, the Crimson Hawks blew open a tight contest with nine runs over the final two innings to pull away for the victory. The win spoiled a 5-for-5 performance at the plate from freshman Ben Newbert (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Harriton) who accounted for half of Bloomsburg's ten hits. The rookie, who served as the designated hitter, doubled and scored in the second, singled and scored in the fourth, singled and scored in the sixth, singled and drove in a run in the seventh, and singled in the ninth for his big night at the dish.

IUP wasted no time jumping on Bloomsburg starter Zach Newmyer (New Cumberland, Pa./Red Land) who faced two batters in the second inning before seeing his night come to a close. The righthander allowed four runs on three hits and two walks in an inning-plus to fall to 0-1 on the season.

Sophomore Ed Herbener (Freeland, Pa./MMI Preparatory School) came on in relief and settled things down which allowed the Huskies to chip away at the early deficit. Bloomsburg cut the lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the second on an RBI single from junior Joey Wrabel (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) and then scored another run in the bottom of the fourth on a bases-loaded walk to freshman Jake Reed (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown).

Herbener, however, ran out of gas in the fifth as IUP touched him up for four runs in the inning to take an 8-2 advantage. Ted DeSanti had the big blow for the Crimson Hawks with a two-out, two-run home run.

Junior Trey Hinkle (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus) came on for Herbener in the sixth and pitched two scoreless innings to start his outing. And, again, the Huskies would begin to battle back. Bloomsburg scored three times in the sixth to cut the lead to 8-5. Sophomore Cole Swiger (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) had a two-run double followed by a sacrifice fly from sophomore Chad Cooperman (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury). Then, in the seventh, Newbert laced an RBI single to bring the Huskies to within two, 8-6.

But, in the eighth, IUP scored five times to take a 13-6 advantage. Hinkle started the inning and allowed back-to-back doubles to finish his outing. Junior Jeremy Zezza (Exeter, Pa./Wyoming Area) and redshirt sophomore Mark Bobko (Metuchen, N.J./St. Joseph Metuchen) closed out the inning. The Crimson Hawks scored four more in the ninth to seal the win.

The Huskies had ten hits - five from Newbert and two from sophomore Andrew Holmes (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township). Swiger had a team-high two runs batted in while Newbert scored three of Bloomsburg's six runs.

IUP racked up 16 hits in the victory. JP Pellis earned his first win of the season for the Crimson Hawks.

In game two, Bloomsburg scored 15 runs on 19 hits against four California (PA) pitchers to win its second game in three days against the Vulcans.

Freshman Jared Burcin (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) gave the Huskies a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second with an RBI groundout that scored freshman Kyle OFier (Pittston, Pa./Pittston Area) who led off the inning with a single.

In the top of the third, however, California scored four times - all unearned - against Cooperman to take a 4-1 lead. Cooperman retired the first two batters and then struck out Bobby Thompson for what should have been the third out of the inning. But, a passed ball allowed Thompson to reach and, after a hit batsman and a walk, Louden Conte cleared the bases with a three-run double. Eric Fairman followed with an RBI double for the fourth run of the inning.

California starter Tyler Eritz was removed after four solid innings and the Huskies' offense torched the Vulcan bullpen to the tune of 14 runs on 16 hits over the final four frames.

It started in the top of the fifth when the Huskies scored five runs on six hits to take a 6-4 lead. Richie Serignese pitched to three batters to start the inning and allowed a leadoff home run to Swiger, a double to Holmes, and a triple by junior Ryan Shiffer (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) to end his outing. Bradyn Kail came on in relief for and allowed an RBI single to redshirt junior Shane Woelfel (Mahwah, N.J./Mahwah) to complete the Huskies' cycle in the inning. Back-to-back sacrifice flies from Newbert and Wrabel provided the other two runs later in the frame.

The Vulcans got a run back in the top of the sixth against junior Ashton Raines (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven). But, the Huskies responded with three more runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 9-5 advantage. Sophomore Nate Krizan (Montoursville, Pa./Loyalsock Township) drove home the first run with a sacrifice fly and Newbert followed with a two-out, two-run double to put the finishing touch on the inning.

The teams exchanged runs in the seventh with Woelfel plating the Huskies' marker with an RBI single in the bottom half. Then, after California went scoreless in the top half of the eighth, the Huskies scored five more times in the bottom of the frame to take a 15-6 lead. Swiger drew a bases-loaded walk for the first run which was followed by a two-run double from Shiffer and a two-run single from Woelfel to blow the game open.

California scored three times in the ninth but that was as close as it would come.

Cooperman picked up his first collegiate victory by going five innings. He allowed four runs (all unearned) on three hits, walked two, and struck out six. Raines, sophomore JJ Spehrley (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville Area), senior Mike Warren (Garnerville, N.Y./St. Joseph Regional), redshirt sophomore James Reardon IV (Springfield, Pa./Springfield), and Bobko pitched the final four innings and allowed five runs (four earned) on four hits with four walks and three strikeouts.

Offensively, Woelfel went 4-for-6 with two runs scored and four runs batted in. Swiger added three hits in four trips with his first home run of the season. Shiffer went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI. Holmes, OFier, Krizan, and Burcin had two hits apiece while Newbert continued his solid day at the plate with three more RBI.

The Huskies will be back in action on Tuesday, March 20, when they head to Washington, Pennsylvania, to take on the Vulcans in a pair of seven-inning contests. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.