Baseball | 3/13/2019 10:19:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 GAME 1 BOX SCORE | GAME 2 BOX SCORE

ETTRICK, Va. - The Bloomsburg University baseball team had another strong day on the mound Wednesday afternoon as the Huskies swept a doubleheader at Virginia State University. Bloomsburg won game one by a 7-4 final and then took game two, behind the right arm of junior Chad Cooperman (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury), by a 3-1 score. The Huskies, ranked fourth in the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Atlantic Regional poll, have now won six straight to improve to 8-1 on the season. The Trojans have lost four straight to fall to 6-7 on the year.

Freshman Jared Marshman (Berwick, Pa./Berwick) was given the ball for his first collegiate start in game one after two sensational bullpen appearances to start his career. He was staked to a 3-0 lead when the Huskies drew first blood in the top of the third.

Senior Colton Hooker (Warrington, Pa./Upper Moreland) led off the inning with a double and then scored the first run when Cooperman drove him in with a base hit to right field. Cooperman advanced to second on a balk and then took third on a wild pitch before junior Cole Swiger (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) drew a one-out walk to put runners at the corners. Swiger stole second and sophomore Kyle OFier (Pittston Township, Pa./Pittston Area) promptly extended the lead to 2-0 on an RBI groundout that plated Cooperman. Junior Nate Krizan (Montoursville, Pa./Home School) then reached on an error which allowed Swiger to score the third run of the inning.

But, the Trojans tied the game at 3-3 in the home half of the third against Marshman. After not allowing a baserunner in the first two frames, the freshman plunked Cecil Henderson to start the inning, allowed a one-out single to Carl Grandeson, and walked Brian Goodwyn to load the bases with two outs. Jahleel Sewer tied the game with one swing of the bat as he brought all three runners home with a bases-clearing triple before Marshman got out of the inning without any further damage.

The Huskies reclaimed the lead in the top of the fourth on a two-out, two-run single from Swiger to give Bloomsburg a 5-3 advantage. Freshman Gianni Sinatore (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall), who walked, and Hooker, who reached on a fielder's choice, scored on Swiger's go-ahead hit.

Virginia State cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double from Henderson before Marshman struck out the final two batters of the inning to end his outing.

Sinatore added some insurance in the top of the fifth with a two-run double that plated juniors Krizan and Andrew Holmes (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township) to give the Huskies a 7-4 lead.

Marshman gave way to senior Zach Newmyer (New Cumberland, Pa./Red Land) who was lights out in each of his first two outings of the year. He slammed the door again on Wednesday, allowing three hits and a walk in three scoreless innings while striking out five to earn his second save of the season and to give Marshman his first collegiate victory.

Marshman allowed four runs on four hits in four innings. He walked one and struck out three. Jeremiah Hardy suffered the loss for the Trojans as he was touched up for seven runs on five hits in four-and-a-third innings. He walked three and struck out five.

The Huskies managed only six hits in the opener but they were timely. Swiger led the way with a 2-for-3 outing at the plate with a pair of RBI. Sinatore also drove in two while Hooker scored a pair of runs in the victory. Sewer had three of Virginia State's seven hits in game one.

Game two was a pitcher's duel between Cooperman and Jason Martinez as both teams could muster only three hits in the nightcap.

Cooperman went the distance to improve to 2-0 on the campaign. He allowed a run on three hits, issued one walk, and struck out ten. Martinez went the first six innings for the Trojans and allowed two runs on one hit with four walks and three strikeouts.

The Huskies took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth as Krizan led off with a walk and then advanced to second on a single by sophomore Jared Burcin (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) - the only hit by the Huskies through the first six innings. Freshman Anthony Viggiano (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven) sacrificed the runners up 90 feet to second and third and then sophomore Jake Reed (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) plated Krizan with a sacrifice fly to left.

Cooperman allowed his only run in the bottom of the fourth when Sewer led off the inning with a triple and then scored on a groundout from Aaron Harris to knot the game at 1-1.

It remained that way until the seventh when the Huskies broke the tie with a pair of runs to take a 3-1 lead. Martinez allowed a leadoff baserunner before giving way to Jarren Norman out of the bullpen. With two outs and a runner at third, Swiger snapped the tie with a single for a 2-1 lead. He then stole second and scored on an RBI single from OFier to give the Huskies a 3-1 advantage.

Cooperman slammed the door in the seventh, recording a popout and a pair of strikeouts for the complete-game gem.

The Huskies will head to Colonial Heights, Virginia, for a three-game series against St. Thomas Aquinas beginning with a doubleheader on Friday, March 15. The teams will then play a single nine-inning game on Saturday before both teams head back north. Friday's twinbill will get underway at 12:00 p.m. while Saturday's contest is slated to start at 1:00 p.m.

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