GAME 1 HTML | GAME 2 HTML

BLOOMSBURG, PA - Tara Baney (Howard, Pa./Bellefonte) blasted a pair of home runs in game one and earned two wins in the circle on the day as the Bloomsburg University softball team swept a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Central doubleheader with Pitt-Johnstown Thursday afternoon. Baney's second homer broke a 4-4 tie and vaulted the Huskies to a 6-5 victory in game one, and an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth from Sammi Starr (Berwick, Pa./21st Century Cyber Charter) would lock up a 3-2 Bloomsburg win in game two. The Huskies are now a perfect 12-0 at home on the year, and improve to 24-13 overall, and 11-3 in PSAC Central.

The Bloomsburg bats were hot early in game one, as Erin DelPierre (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) knocked an RBI single and Starr laced an RBI double to left center to give the Huskies a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Baney would make it 3-0 in the bottom of the second when she smacked a solo shot to left, but the Mountain Cats would answer with four runs in the top of the fourth to take a one-run lead. Jade Stubblefield had the big hit in the inning for Pitt-Johnstown, roping a single to left that plated Ashley Shor and Bree Ginther.

Taylor Winkelman (Springfield, Pa/Springfield) would knot game 1 at 4-4 in the bottom half of the fourth when she laced a double down the left field line that scored Baney, and the game would remain tied until the bottom of the sixth when Baney crushed a mammoth two-run tape-measure shot to dead center to nudge Bloomsburg ahead by a pair of runs. Pitt-Johnstown would slice the lead to just one in the top of seventh, but Baney worked out of the jam to preserve the 3-2 victory.

Baney did it all for the Huskies in game one, finishing 2-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored at the plate, while allowing just one earned run on four hits over 3.1 scoreless innings in relief. Abby Wild (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) got the start in the circle for Bloomsburg and surrendered four earned on seven hits in 3.2 innings of work. In addition to Baney, Winkelman and Kelsey Impink (Schwenksville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) also had two hits apiece in game one.

The seal would not be broken in game two until the top of the third, when Taylor Mendicino scored on a double steal to give Pitt-Johnstown an early 1-0 lead. The Huskies punched back in the bottom of the fourth when Marissa Shelhamer (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia) crushed a two-run bomb to left that scored DelPierre, but the Mountain Cats would tie it at 2-2 in the top of the sixth when Kristie Radvan launched a solo homer to left center off Baney.

The contest would not stay tied for long, however, as DelPierre jump-started a rally with a triple to the gap in left center, and Starr followed with an RBI double to left center that scored DelPierre. The one-run lead would be more than enough for Baney, who shut the door with a 1-2-3 seventh to lock up the twinbill sweep for the Huskies.

Shelhamer went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored in game two, while DelPierre went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Baney improved to 10-7 on the season after striking out four and allowing just one earned on five hits in the complete game effort. 

Bloomsburg hits the road for a crucial PSAC Central clash at Lock Haven Saturday afternoon. The Huskies swept a pair of games with the Bald Eagles back on March 30 at Hutchinson Field. First pitch in game one Saturday is set for 1:00 p.m.