GAME 1 HTML BOX SCORE | GAME 2 HTML BOX SCORE

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg University baseball team left a total of 19 runners on base on Sunday afternoon as it dropped a pair against visiting Millersville University in the home-opening doubleheader at Danny Litwhiler Field. The Marauders took game one by a 5-1 final and then completed the sweep with a 14-2 victory over the Huskies in game two. Bloomsburg fell to 10-6 overall and 1-3 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division while Millersville improved to 16-7 overall and 3-1 in divisional play.

Junior JJ Spehrley (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville Area) and Millersville's Cordell Shannon were locked in a pitcher's duel in game one as both teams were scoreless through the first three innings before the Marauders broke through in the top of the fourth with all five of their runs.

Millersville put its first two runners on base and scored its first run on an RBI groundout by Eric Callahan to give the Marauders a 1-0 lead. The second run of the inning came on a dropped fly ball, and then Cole Friese belted a three-run home run for the big blow of the inning to extend the lead to 5-0. Spehrley retired the final two batters of the frame to prevent any further damage.

Spehrley pitched the fifth before giving way to junior Ed Herbener (Drums, Pa./MMI Preparatory School) in the sixth and seventh innings. Herbener allowed one hit while striking out three in two scoreless frames.

Shannon, meanwhile, was in control for Millersville until the sixth when the Huskies broke through for their only run of the opener. Freshman Anthony Viggiano (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven) lifted a pinch-hit double down the right field line and then scored on a run-scoring single back up the middle by junior Andrew Holmes (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township) to cut the deficit to 5-1. Shannon, however, struck out freshman Tyler Wiik (Fogelsville, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) and junior Nate Krizan (Montoursville, Pa./Home School) to end the inning. He came out for the seventh and pitched around a leadoff single by sophomore Jake Reed (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown), getting a game-ending double play for the complete-game victory.

Shannon threw 119 pitches to improve to 5-1 on the season. He allowed one run on six hits, walked three, and struck out nine. Spehrley suffered his first loss of the season (1-1) after tossing five innings and allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits. He walked one and struck out four but made only one mistake in the contest - the three-run homer by Friese in the fourth.

Bloomsburg left seven men on base in the opener including the bases loaded in the second. The Huskies nearly broke through in that frame but redshirt freshman Carter Chasanov (Magnolia, Del./Polytech) was thrown out at the plate on a suicide squeeze attempt off the bat of Krizan. Chasanov had led off the inning with a double and then advanced to third on an infield single by Wiik. After the failed squeeze bunt, Reed drew a walk to load the bases with two outs, but Shannon retired junior Cole Swiger (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) on a grounder to second base to end the inning.

The Huskies had hits from six different players in game one while eight different players had a knock for Millersville.

Game two was a 1-1 tie heading to the top of the fifth inning before things unraveled for the Huskies as Millersville plated 13 runs over the final three frames to break the game open.

Millersville took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second against junior Chad Cooperman (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury) with the rally starting with two outs. Jimmy Losh laced a double to right center, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and then scored when Callahan beat out a grounder to short for an infield single and an RBI.

The Huskies threatened in the bottom of the third as senior Colton Hooker (Warrington, Pa./Upper Moreland) led off with a single and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Reed. Swiger singled and sophomore Kyle OFier (Pittston Township, Pa./Pittston Area) drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases with one out. However, Millersville starter Bobby Dorta retired freshman Gianni Sinatore (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) on an infield popup for the second out of the inning and then senior Ryan Shiffer (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) flew out to the left field fence to leave the runners stranded.

Bloomsburg again loaded the bases in the fourth but, this time was able to break through with a run to knot the game at 1-1. Holmes led off the inning with a single and then advanced to second when Krizan reached on a fielding error. After a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Jared Burcin (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) advanced both runners, Dorta was pulled for lefthander Christian Wingard who was brought in to face the left-handed hitting Hooker. Wingard won the battle as he struck out Hooker on a six-pitch at bat for the second out of the inning. Aidan Welch was then brought in to pitch to Reed but the sophomore drew a five-pitch walk to load the bases for Swiger. The junior outfielder was plunked on a 1-2 offering from Welch to bring Holmes in from third, tying the score at 1-1. OFier then struck out to end the inning as the Huskies left the bases loaded for the second straight frame.

Millersville came back in a big way against Cooperman in the top of the fifth with Ben Snyder blasting a grand slam home run with two outs to give the Marauders a 5-1 advantage. Millersville used the blast for extra momentum as it scored nine more runs over the final two innings to break the game open. The visitors scored three in the sixth against redshirt junior James Reardon IV (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) and then added six in the seventh before freshman Anthony Donato (Madison Township, Pa./North Pocono), making his collegiate debut, struck out Nick Graham to end the final inning.

Bloomsburg added its final run in the seventh on a bases-loaded walk to Krizan but, for the third time in the game, left the bases full after a game-ending strikeout.

All told, the Huskies left 12 men on base in game two but could only muster three hits in the nightcap against seven Millersville pitchers. Bloomsburg did not have a hit after Holmes' leadoff single in the bottom of the fourth. The seven Marauder hurlers did combine to walk nine batters but the Huskies couldn't find that timely hit. Welch, who was the pitcher at the time of Snyder's go-ahead grand slam in the fifth, improved to 2-0 on the season for Millersville. Cooperman, meanwhile, dropped to 2-1 after allowing five runs on four hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out five. Reardon IV, redshirt junior Mark Bobko (Metuchen, N.J./St. Joseph Metuchen), and Donato combined to pitch the final two innings.

Millersville had 14 hits in game two - three by Callahan and two each by Friese, Trainer, Losh, and Ben Harris.

Bloomsburg will get right back to work on Tuesday, March 26, when it hosts St. Thomas Aquinas for a single nine-inning game at Danny Litwhiler Field. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

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