THE STORY
• The Bloomsburg University softball team heads back on the road this weekend for a pair of doubleheaders at Virginia State University and Goldey-Beacom College. The Huskies travel to Ettrick, Virginia, for a doubleheader with Viriginia State on Saturday, before making their way to Wilmington, Delaware, for a twinbill with Goldey-Beacom on Sunday. Bloomsburg enters the weekend at 4-9 on the young season after dropping a pair of games at Shepherd on Wednesday.
THE HISTORY: BLOOMSBURG AGAINST VIRGINIA STATE & GOLDEY-BEACOM
• The Huskies are 3-0 all-time against Virginia State, but have not faced the Trojans since the 2005 season. Bloomsburg has never lost to Goldey-Beacom in 22 meetings, including a pair of victories over the Lightning in 2017. The teams were scheduled to meet for a doubleheader last season, but inclement weather forced the series to be canceled.
THE HUSKIES AT A GLANCE
• The Huskies are hoping to bounce back after a pair of close losses to Shepherd University on Wednesday afternoon.
Kalynn Wheeland (South Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport) mashed a solo homer in a 3-2 loss to the Rams in game two, but Bloomsburg was only able to muster seven hits on the day as a team. Shepherd pitcher Lori Sturgill limited the Huskies to just three hits in a 5-0 game one win.
• Freshman
Erin DelPierre (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) has had a tremendous start to her collegiate career for the Huskies, leading the team in batting average (.341), walks (6), and stolen bases (3). Fellow frosh
Sammi Starr (Berwick, Pa./21st Century Cyber Charter) is batting .267 with a team-high two home runs, six Runs batted in, and six runs scored.
Taylor Winkelman (Springfield, Pa/Springfield) is hitting .313 with six RBI and a pair of doubles, while Wheeland has five RBI and two long balls.
Kelsey Impink (Schwenksville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) leads the team in doubles with four.
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Abby Wild (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) has been tremendous in the circle for the Huskies in the early-going. The sophomore is 4-2 in five starts, but has allowed just six earned runs in 42.0 innings of work. Her 1.00 earned run average (ERA) ranks second in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) this season, while her 38 strikeouts are ninth in the conference.
Tara Baney (Howard, Pa./Bellefonte) has also notched six starts on the year for the Huskies, and has a 7.55 ERA and 21 strikeouts.
Balee Leeser (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) has appeared in four games in relief for Bloomsburg, and has a 4.91 ERA.
SCOUTING THE TROJANS
• Virginia State enters Saturday's games at 9-10 overall, and 6-1 in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) this season. The Trojans are riding a five-game win streak dating back to March 16, with wins over Winston-Salem State, Shaw, St. Augustine's, Livingstone, and Johnson C. Smith. Virginia State is 2-2 against PSAC opponents this season, splitting a four-game series with East Stroudsburg earlier this month.
• Kennedy Presson has fueled the Trojan offense this season, posting a .395 batting average with a team-high 17 runs batted in and four home runs. Shaniya Marble is batting .375 with seven RBI and five runs scored, while Samantha Cunningham is hitting .370 with 11 RBI, six runs scored, and team-high five doubles.
• Brooklynn Bilyard has started eight games in the circle for Virginia State and has a 5.34 ERA. She leads the team in wins with 4. Presson has started five games for the Trojans and has a 6.75 ERA. She leads the team in strikeouts (36) and innings pitched (46.2).
SCOUTING THE LIGHTNING
• Goldey-Beacom brings a four-game win streak and and 4-6 overall record into Sunday's doubleheader with the Huskies. The Lightning are coming off a doubleheader sweep of Holy Family Tuesday, including a thrilling 10-9 nine-inning victory over the Tigers in game two. Emily Lozowski lined an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to give the Lightning the win. Zoe Lockwood and Braydee Whitman each had a pair of hits for Goldey-Beacom in game one.
• Kasey Goshorn is batting .464 with a team-high 10 RBI and four doubles this season, while Lozowski is hitting .450 with four runs scored. Whitman is .370 at the plate with six runs batted in and nine runs scored, and Lockwood is batting .333 with six RBI and a team-high 10 runs scored.
• Taylor Beres has been the workhorse on the Goldey-Beacom pitching staff this season, posting a 3-3 record in five starts with a 6.33 ERA and 13 strikeouts. Alexa Calareso has an 8.17 ERA and five strikeouts in three starts on the year.
LOOKING AHEAD
• The Huskies return home this Tuesday, March 26, to host Jefferson in a doubleheader from
Jan Hutchinson Field. Bloomsburg will open conference play next Friday, March 29, with a doubleheader at Mansfield. First pitch in game one with Jefferson is set for 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.
