Softball | 3/9/2019 7:51:00 PM
Box Score GLENVILLE, WV – Alexa Erney (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) went 1-for-2 with a homer and a walk, but the Bloomsburg University softball team opened the 2019 season with a 2-1 loss to West Liberty in Glenville, West Virginia, Saturday afternoon. The Huskies fall to 0-1 on the new campaign, but will have a chance to bounce back quickly with a doubleheader against West Virginia State on Sunday.
The Hilltoppers were first to the scoreboard in the second inning when Audrey Meloun scored on a single hit by twin sister Kate Meloun. Audrey Meloun reached on an error and advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches before Kate Meloun's RBI knock.
West Liberty's lead would hold until the top of the fifth inning, when Erney belted a solo shot to knot the game at 1-1. It was Erney's first of the season and sixth in a Bloomsburg uniform. The Huskies threatened to take the lead later in the inning when back-to-back singles from Taylor Winkelman (Springfield, Pa/Springfield) and Erin DelPierre (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) put two runners in scoring position with just one out, but Hilltoppers hurler Anna Paterson would strike out the next two batters to work out of the jam.
The game would not stayed tied for long, as Kate Beeman scored on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the fifth inning to give West Liberty a 2-1 lead. Bloomsburg threatened again in the top of the seventh inning thanks to singles from Winkelman and DelPierre, but the Huskies were unable to plate the game-tying run.
Abby Wild (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) got the nod in the circle for the Huskies, and surrendered two unearned runs in seven innings of work. Paterson allowed just the one earned run six innings for the Hilltoppers, while Riley Bennington polished of the win for West Liberty with a scoreless seventh.
DelPierre was 3-fo-4 with three singles and a stolen base for Bloomsburg, while Winkelman was 2-for-4 with a pair of singles. Marissa Shelhamer (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia) was 1-for-3 with a double. Kate Meloun was 2-for-4 with an RBI for West Liberty, and Kate Beeman was 1-for-3 with a single and a run scored.
The Huskies will remain in Glenville Sunday for a doubleheader with West Virginia State. First pitch with the Yellow Jackets in game one is set for 1:00 p.m.
