GAME 1 HTML BOX SCORE | GAME 2 HTML BOX SCORE

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - Juniors Trey Hinkle (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus) and Colton Hooker (Warrington, Pa./Upper Moreland) and sophomore Andrew Holmes (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township) - the Bloomsburg University baseball team's version of "Triple H" - played vital roles in game two as the Huskies rallied from three runs down to complete a doubleheader sweep of visiting Lock Haven University on Saturday afternoon at Danny Litwhiler Field. The Huskies cruised to a 15-8 victory in the opener and then rallied for a 6-5 victory in game two to complete the doubleheader sweep and to earn a split in the four-game weekend series. Bloomsburg improved to 25-9 overall and 15-5 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division while Lock Haven dropped to 20-13 overall and 10-10 in divisional play.

Trailing 5-2 heading to the bottom of the fourth in game two, Hooker, who fittingly walks out to Triple H's theme song, jump-started the rally by belting a 3-2 offering from Lock Haven starter, Ross Mintzer, over the right center field fence to lead off the frame. It was Hooker's first career home run in a Huskies' uniform. Bloomsburg added another run in the inning, cutting the lead to 5-4, courtesy of a hit batsman, two walks, and three wild pitches. In the bottom of the fifth, Holmes gave the Huskies a 6-5 lead with a two-run home run to straightaway center field - his third round tripper of the season. Freshman Kyle OFier (Pittston, Pa./Pittston Area) led off the inning by getting plunked on an 0-2 pitch from Mintzer and then Holmes drilled a 1-2 offering for the go-ahead home run. Hinkle then did the rest, pitching around a double in the sixth and two errors in the seventh to earn his third victory of the season.

Game one was never in much doubt as the Huskies jumped out to a 10-0 lead after three innings. Bloomsburg jumped on Lock Haven's game-one starter, Avery Eddy, for four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore Cole Swiger (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) was hit by Eddy's first pitch of the game and then he advanced to third when redshirt senior Austin Edgette (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) singled back up the middle. Junior Ryan Shiffer (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) drove home Swiger on an RBI groundout for the first run of the game. Freshman Ben Newbert (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Harriton) continued to swing a hot bat as he crushed the first pitch he saw over the left center field fence - a two-run home run - to extend the Huskies' lead to 3-0. Newbert now has three home runs in his last seven games after hitting just one in his first 23 contests. Sophomore Chad Cooperman (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury) and OFier followed by drawing back-to-back walks and then Cooperman came in to score on an RBI double from Holmes for the fourth run of the inning.

In the bottom of the second, Cooperman hit his first collegiate home run - a three-run blast to left field - to extend the lead to 7-0. After Eddy retired Swiger and Edgette, Shiffer and Newbert reached on back-to-back singles which led to Cooperman's first career home run (153 at bats). Then, in the third, Bloomsburg added three more runs to take a 10-0 lead. Holmes led off with a double and then scored on a one-out single from sophomore Nate Krizan (Montoursville, Pa./Loyalsock Township). Swiger followed with a single to get Krizan to second and, two batters later, Shiffer plated Krizan with an RBI single for a 9-0 advantage. The Huskies' final run of the inning scored when Shiffer broke for second on a steal attempt and got in a run-down long enough for Swiger to cross the plate before getting tagged out.

Lock Haven finally solved sophomore JJ Spehrley (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville Area) in the top of the fourth as Justin Sleigh and Kolby Dehaas laced back-to-back doubles against the Huskies' righthander to cut the lead to 10-1. But, in the bottom half of the inning, the Huskies scored five more times to take a 15-1 lead. During the inning, Holmes had an RBI single, Krizan had a run-scoring fielder's choice, and Edgette laced a two-run double. Bloomsburg's other run scored on an error.

The visitors scored four runs in the top of the fifth and three in the top of the seventh for the final margin.

Spehrley improved to 6-0 on the season and pitched much better than his line indicated. He went four innings and was charged with five runs on seven hits. He walked three and struck out three. Junior Jeremy Zezza (Exeter, Pa./Wyoming Area) put out the fire in the fifth and finished by allowing three runs on one hit in two hits. He walked one, struck out three, and hit a batter. Redshirt sophomore Mark Bobko (Metuchen, N.J./St. Joseph Metuchen) put out the fire in the seventh and finished out the game by allowing a hit in an inning of work.

Eddy suffered the loss as he fell to 3-3. He was charged with seven runs on six hits and two walks in an inning and two-thirds.

Bloomsburg had 17 hits in the opener. Newbert finished 3-for-3 with three runs scored, a home run, and two runs batted in. Holmes finished 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored, and two RBI. Edgette went 3-for-5 with a double, a run scored, and two RBI. Swiger, Shiffer, Cooperman, and Krizan each had a pair of hits in the game one victory.

In game two, the Huskies took a 2-0 lead on a two-out, two-run single by Edgette in the bottom of the second against Mintzer before Lock Haven answered with three runs in the top of the third against Cooperman. Keyshawn D'Orso had the big hit for the Bald Eagles in the frame with a one-out, two-run single which put the Bald Eagles ahead, 3-2. Redshirt junior Zach Newmyer (New Cumberland, Pa./Red Land) came on in relief of Cooperman with runners at first and second and one out but was able to strike out Dehaas and then retire Ethan Moore on a popout to end the inning without any further damage.

Cooperman lasted only two and a-third innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits. He walked three and struck out two.

Lock Haven scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of the fourth to extend the lead to 5-2 before the Huskies started their rally. Hooker's first career home run to lead off the bottom of the fourth pulled Bloomsburg to within 5-3. Two batters later, Krizan was hit by a pitch and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Edgette walked and then both runners advanced on the second wild pitch of the inning. Shiffer drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases and then all three advanced on the third wild offering from Mintzer in the inning.

Hinkle, who allowed a single before striking out D'Orso to end the fourth, pitched around a one-out walk in the fifth and the Huskies went back to work at the plate. OFier was hit on an 0-2 pitch and then Holmes played hero with his third home run of the second to give the Huskies a 6-5 advantage in the bottom of the fifth. Lock Haven threatened in the sixth as Liam McArthur doubled with two outs. Cayden Stover followed with a sinking liner to right that Swiger was able to make a game-saving diving catch to end the threat. Bloomsburg left the bases loaded in the seventh and needed Hinkle to preserve a one-run lead. D'Orso reached on a fielding error with one out and then advanced to second on an errant pickoff attempt. But, Hinkle was able to retire Sleigh on a shallow fly ball to right and then struck out Dehaas to end the contest.

Hinkle improved to 3-1 on the season after allowing two hits in three and one-third scoreless innings. Newmyer was charged with two unearned runs on one hit and a walk in an inning and a-third. He walked one and struck out two. Mintzer suffered the loss as he fell to 2-3 on the season. He was charged with six runs on six hits in five innings. He walked five, hit three batters, and uncorked three wild pitches, but did strike out seven.

Both teams had seven hits in game two. Edgette, Hooker, and Krizan each had a pair of hits in the nightcap while Holmes had the other with his game-winning home run in the fifth.

Bloomsburg will step back out-of-conference on Tuesday, April 24, when it hosts Le Moyne College in a doubleheader at Danny Litwhiler Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.