GAME 1 HTML BOX SCORE | GAME 2 HTML BOX SCORE

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg University baseball team split a pair of one-run games against visiting East Stroudsburg University on a very windy Friday afternoon at Danny Litwhiler Field. The Warriors took game one by a 5-4 final before the Huskies bounced back for a 7-6 victory in the nightcap. Bloomsburg moved to 14-6 overall and 6-2 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division while East Stroudsburg moved to 14-10 overall and 4-4 in the division.

Wind certainly played havoc all afternoon as the teams combined for nine home runs. But, it was a pair of fly balls - in the final inning of both games - that didn't leave the yard which proved to be the difference.

Game one featured a matchup between junior righthander Ashton Raines (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven) and East Stroudsburg's Evan Steele and it was the Warriors who drew first blood as Brock Kauffman launched a solo home run to left field to give the visitors a 1-0 advantage.

The Warriors added to their lead in the top of the third on an RBI single from Steven Zimmerman before the Huskies got on the board in the bottom half of the inning when sophomore Cole Swiger (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) crossed the plate after a single from redshirt senior Austin Edgette (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East), compounded by a fielding error.

In the top of the fourth, Christian Rishel extended the East Stroudsburg advantage to 3-1 with a one-out solo home run to right center. But, the Huskies stormed back with three runs in the bottom of the fifth to take their first lead of the game, 4-3. Sophomore Nate Krizan (Montoursville, Pa./Loyalsock Township) started the rally with a one-out single and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Swiger followed with a walk and, two batters later, redshirt junior Shane Woelfel (Mahwah, N.J./Mahwah) hit an opposite field three-run home run to put Bloomsburg in front. It was Woelfel's team-leading third round tripper of the season.

Raines pitched around a leadoff single in the top of the sixth and then gave way to senior Mike Warren (Garnerville, N.Y./St. Joseph Regional) who came on in the seventh to attempt to nail down the save. However, three batters into the inning, East Stroudsburg tied the game at 4-4 on three consecutive hits which ended the afternoon for the righthander. Junior Trey Hinkle (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus) relieved Warren and allowed an RBI single by Joey Paolini, which gave the Warriors a 5-4 lead, before retiring the next three batters.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Huskies made it interesting. Swiger was hit by a pitch with one out and then advanced to second on a walk to Edgette. The Warriors, again, went to the bullpen as Mike Pepio came on to retire Woelfel on a popup to second on the tenth pitch of the at bat for the second out of the inning. Junior Ryan Shiffer (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) came up and, on the first he saw, launched a deep fly ball to left that East Stroudsburg's Zarley Cina caught leaning up against the fence to end the game.

Raines went six innings in a no-decision. He allowed three runs on five hits, walked one, and struck out six. Warren suffered the loss to fall to 0-2 on the season. Steele, meanwhile, went five and one-third innings for East Stroudsburg and allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits. He walked two and struck out seven. Nate Fiala picked up the win in relief to improve to 4-0 on the year while Pepio earned his first save of the season.

Woelfel went 2-for-4 with a home run and three runs batted in to lead the Huskies' offense.

Freshman Nick Stoner (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) took the mound in game two and gutted through five innings to improve to 3-0 on the season. The rookie righthander struggled with his command much of the day but still only allowed three runs on three hits in five innings. He walked four and struck out three.

Offensively, the Huskies jumped on East Stroudsburg starter, Tyler Stafursky, who lasted just an inning and two-thirds. Edgette launched his second home run of the season - a solo shot in the bottom of the first - to give Bloomsburg a 1-0 lead.

Stoner then allowed his first home run of the season - a two-out, two-run home run to Carson Freeman - in the top of the second as the Warriors jumped in front, 2-1. But, the Huskies came back with three runs in the bottom half of the frame to retake a 4-2 lead. Sophomore Andrew Holmes (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township) led off with a single and then advanced to second on a single from freshman Kyle OFier (Pittston, Pa./Pittston Area). Both were sacrificed ahead 90 feet by sophomore Chad Cooperman (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury) and then came in to score when Krizan belted his first collegiate home run over the scoreboard in left to give the Huskies a two-run lead.

In the bottom of the third, the Huskies tacked on a run when OFier belted his second career home run to right center to give Bloomsburg a 5-2 advantage.

Christian Rishel led off the top of the fourth for East Stroudsburg with a solo home run to bring the Warriors to within two at 5-3 before the Huskies got the run back in the bottom half to take a 6-3 advantage. Krizan led off with a single, advanced to second on a walk to Swiger, and then advanced to third when Edgette bounced into a double play. Woelfel came through with an RBI single through the left side of the infield to plate Krizan for a three-run lead.

Bloomsburg added a run in the bottom of the fifth, without the benefit of a hit, to take a 7-3 lead. OFier, who drew a one-out walk, came around to score after a fielding error and a balk.

Sophomore Ed Herbener (Freeland, Pa./MMI Preparatory School) came on in relief of Stoner in the sixth and pitched around a one-out single. Then, after the Huskies managed only a hit in the bottom of the sixth, the Warriors made things interesting in the seventh.

Redshirt sophomores Mark Bobko (Metuchen, N.J./St. Joseph Metuchen) and James Reardon IV (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) each faced two batters to start the seventh with neither pitcher able to record an out. Bobko allowed a walk and a single while Reardon gave up a three-run home run to Zimmerman and a single to Kauffman and, when the dust settled, the Warriors trailed only 7-6. But, Hinkle, who limited damage in the first game, was brought on again in game two, this time to attempt to nail down a save. He induced a groundout to Laine Renaud which allowed Kauffman to advance to second for the first out. After a walk, Hinkle retired the final two batters on flyouts to nail down his third save of the season. Freeman, the last out, chased Woelfel to about five feet in front of the right field fence before the outfielder was able to track it down to seal the win.

Stafursky fell to 1-2 on the season for East Stroudsburg after allowing four runs on five hits in his outing.

Woelfel led the Huskies with three of their ten hits in game two. Krizan went 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored, and three runs batted in while OFier was 2-for-2 with a home run and three runs scored.

The teams are scheduled to conclude the four-game series on Sunday, April 8, at East Stroudsburg. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.