SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV -
Kalynn Wheeland (South Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport) belted her second home run of the season to give the Huskies a lead in game two, but a rally by Shepherd gave the Rams a doubleheader sweep over the Bloomsburg University softball team Wednesday afternoon. The Huskies mustered just three hits in a 6-0 game one loss, while Shepherd took game two by a final of 3-2.
Rams pitcher Lori Sturgill tossed a gem in game one, allowing just three hits and striking out seven in the complete game win. Bloomsburg did threaten in the top of the seventh when
Julia Knight (Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville) reached on an error,
Sammi Starr (Berwick, Pa./21st Century Cyber Charter) singled to left, and
Balee Leeser (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) drew a walk to load the bases with one out, but Sturgill worked out of the jam to preserve the shutout victory.
Emily Getz (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) was 1-for-2 with a walk in game one, while
Marissa Shelhamer (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia) went 1-for-3 at the plate.
Abby Wild (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) was strong again in the circle for Bloomsburg, surrendering just one earned run on three hits and fanning four in 4.0 innings of work.
Game two remained scoreless until the top of the fifth inning, when Wheeland blasted a solo shot to left to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead. Shepherd punched back in the bottom half of the inning, however, tallying three runs on four hits to take a 3-1 lead after five.
Bloomsburg chipped away at the deficit in the sixth when
Danielle Barnes (Coopersburg, Pa./Southern Lehigh) singled and later scored on a
Kelsey Impink (Schwenksville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) RBI groundout, but reliever Cheyenne Van Pelt would toss back-to-back scoreless to lock up the sweep for the Rams.
Wheeland went 1-for-3 with the homer in game two, while Barnes went 1-for-3 with a run scored. Bloomsburg pitcher
Tara Baney (Howard, Pa./Bellefonte) struck out five and allowed just five hits and three unearned runs in five innings of work. Baney also went 1-for-2 at the plate for the Huskies.
Connor Gilligan went 1-for-2 with a pair of RBI for Shepherd in game two, while Lindsey Anderson went 1-for-1 with a run scored. Kaitlyn Konopka went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Taylor Stocks got the nod in the circle for the Rams in game two and gave up two earned runs on four hits in five innings.
The Huskies remain on the road for a pair of doubleheaders this weekend before hosting Jefferson on Tuesday, March 26. Bloomsburg will battle Virginia State in a doubleheader beginning at noon this Saturday, March 23, before traveling to Wilmington, Delaware, for a twinbill with Goldey-Beacom College on Sunday.
