GAME 1 HTML BOX SCORE | GAME 2 HTML BOX SCORE

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg University baseball team bounced back from a sweep at 21st-ranked West Chester University on Saturday by earning a split with the Golden Rams on a cold, blustery Sunday afternoon at Danny Litwhiler Field. The teams entered play Sunday tied for first in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division standings and remained that way after Sunday's split. The Huskies won the opener, 5-4, before the Golden Rams rallied from a 7-1 deficit to earn a 10-7 victory in game two. The Huskies, ranked first in the Atlantic Region, moved to 27-13 overall and 16-8 in the PSAC East. West Chester, ranked third in the Atlantic Region, also moved to 27-13 overall and 16-8 in the division.

After Sunday's action, there is a three-way tie for first place in the PSAC East as Bloomsburg and West Chester were joined by Millersville, who knocked off Lock Haven in a single game on Sunday afternoon. By virtue of Sunday's split between West Chester and Bloomsburg and with Millersville's victory against Lock Haven, all three teams punched their ticket to the PSAC Tournament which begins on May 9 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Four teams still have a chance for the fourth and final playoff spot in the East - Kutztown, Lock Haven, Shippensburg, and East Stroudsburg. Mansfield has been eliminated from contention.

With the first game scoreless in the home third, freshman Ben Newbert (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Harriton) gave the Huskies a 3-0 advantage against West Chester starter Mike Cipolla when he launched a three-run homer to dead center on a 3-2 offering from the Golden Rams' righthander.  The round-tripper, his fifth of the season, followed a lead-off single by sophomore Nate Krizan (Montoursville, Pa./Loyalsock Township) and a one-out base hit by redshirt senior Austin Edgette (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East).   
 
West Chester trimmed the deficit to 3-1 in the top of the fourth when Huskies' redshirt junior starter Zach Newmyer (New Cumberland, Pa./Red Land) (1-1) hit a batter with the bases loaded.
 
But, Bloomsburg retaliated quickly with a pair of runs in the last of the fourth. The Huskies loaded the bases with no outs on free passes to freshman Kyle OFier (Pittston, Pa./Pittston Area) and Krizan sandwiched around a double by junior Ryan Shiffer (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South). One run later scored on a Golden Rams' infield error while Edgette plated the other with a sacrifice fly.
 
West Chester got back in the game with two runs in the fifth and knocked out Newmyer and junior reliever Jeremy Zezza (Exeter, Pa./Wyoming Area) in the process. After recording a strikeout to start the frame, Newmyer walked the next two batters. That brought in Zezza who promptly struck out Drew Jarmuz but then permitted a two-run double to catcher Corey Webb. Junior Trey Hinkle (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus) was then summoned from the pen and induced pinch-hitter Collin McGeary to tap to second to avoid further damage.
 
After the Huskies went quietly in their half of the fifth, West Chester drew within a run with an unearned tally in the sixth. Two infield errors coupled with a Nick Ward single did the damage.
 
Bloomsburg went three-up-and-three-down in the bottom of the sixth to set up a nerve-wracking seventh. Hinkle induced the lead-off batter to hit a roller to first, but the Huskies' third infield error of the contest and a single from Webb put runners at first and second. Hinkle, however, got the game-ender as he threw a 6-4-3 double-play ball that wasn't finalized until sophomore first baseman Andrew Holmes (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township) scooped a low throw to end the game.
 
Newmyer worked 4.1 innings, allowing three runs and three hits to earn his first victory of the season. He worked out of constant trouble during his stint, however, thanks to seven walks and two hit batters. But, he gave head coach Mike Collins exactly what the team needed as the Huskies were without the services of freshman starter Nick Stoner (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) this weekend.
 
West Chester got its first two batters aboard in both the first and second innings - and two of the first three hitters in the third – but could not score. The Golden Rams stranded seven runners in the first four innings and ten for the game.
 
Hinkle worked 2.1 innings to get his fifth save of the season. He allowed an unearned run and two hits while striking out one.
 
West Chester starter Mike Cipolla (5-2) went all the way. He allowed all five runs (four earned), five hits, struck out six and walked four.

West Chester out-hit Bloomsburg, 6-5, in game one. The Huskies had single hits from Edgette, Newbert, sophomore Chad Cooperman (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury), Shiffer, and Krizan.
 
The runs came fast and furious in the early stages of game two. The Huskies broke out to a quick 2-0 lead against West Chester starter Scott McKenna thanks to a lead-off hit by sophomore Cole Swiger (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) and a home run to right center by Krizan in the bottom of the first. Krizan's second home run of the season came on the tenth pitch of his at bat as he fouled off four pitches with two strikes before giving the Huskies a 2-0 lead.
 
The Golden Rams got a run back in the second when Jarmuz doubled and scored on a single by Webb.
 
But, Bloomsburg scored five in its half and forced McKenna's exit. After Shiffer bounced out, the Huskies' next five hitters reached base. Sophomore Andrew Holmes (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township) doubled, junior Colton Hooker (Warrington, Pa./Upper Moreland) walked, and freshman Jake Reed (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) joined Swiger and Edgette with RBI singles. After a strikeout, Krizan drove in two more with a double down the left line. Senior Bill Ford relieved for West Chester and, ultimately, shut the door the rest of the way.
 
The Golden Rams began their comeback in the third, pushing across four runs on five hits. West Chester stroked four doubles and a single to begin the inning against Cooperman, the Huskies' game-two starter. The sophomore settled down and retired the next three hitters on a fly ball and a pair of strikeouts.
 
Ford continued to silence Huskies' hitters and the Golden Rams continued to peck away. Senior Zach Sheranko hit a solo homer off Cooperman in the fifth as West Chester drew to within 7-6. Bloomsburg went to its bullpen in the sixth and Zezza surrendered a two-run gopher ball to Shane Dressler and, suddenly, the Golden Rams had their first lead of the doubleheader.
 
Sophomore Ed Herbener (Freeland, Pa./MMI Preparatory School) worked the seventh and was tagged for a two-run dinger by Joey Coyle foe the final margin.
 
Ford worked 5.1 innings of scoreless relief, allowing three hits and fanning four. He improved to 4-1 on the season. Zezza (0-1) took the loss. Cooperman struck out eight batters in his five innings but did allow six runs on ten hits.

The Huskies, again, were out-hit by a 13-10 margin. Krizan finished 3-for-4 with a home run and four runs batted in. Swiger went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored and an RBI.
 
Bloomsburg will return to action Tuesday, May 1, with a single, non-divisional game against Pitt-Johnstown. First pitch is slated for 3:00 p.m. at Danny Litwhiler Field.