Softball | 4/19/2019 1:57:00 PM

 
 THE STORY
• The Bloomsburg University softball team looks to extend their nine-game winning streak and maintain sole possession of first place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Central when they travel to Lock Haven Saturday afternoon. Bloomsburg sits atop the Central Division at 11-3 (24-13 overall) after sweeping a doubleheader with Pitt-Johnstown on Thursday, while the Bald Eagles enter the day at 22-16 record overall, and 8-6 in the PSAC Central.

THE HISTORY: BLOOMSBURG vs. LOCK HAVEN
• The Huskies are 72-35 all-time against Lock Haven, including a pair of home victories over the Bald Eagles earlier this season. The Sweep snapped Lock Haven's streak of 23 consecutive PSAC Central victories. Kelsey Impink (Schwenksville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) was 2-for-4 with four RBI in game one, and Tara Baney (Howard, Pa./Bellefonte) chucked a three-hit shutout in game two. 

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
• Senior infielder Alexa Erney (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) was named PSAC Central Athlete of the Week after powering the Huskies to a perfect 6-0 record last week. Erney batted .615 (8-of-13) with five runs scored, two home runs, and five runs batted in during the six games while also walking twice and getting hit by a pitch three times. The senior has been the main source of power for the Huskies this season, smashing a team-high six home runs and tallying 13 runs batted in on the year. She currently leads the Huskies in batting average (.436), and has a team-high .923 slugging percentage.

THE HUSKIES AT A GLANCE
• Bloomsburg enters Saturday's games having won nine consecutive contests after a pair of victories over Pitt-Johnstown Thursday. With the wins, the Huskies remain a perfect 12-0 at Jan M. Hutchinson Field this season. Baney belted a pair of home runs in game one and earned two victories in the circle to power Bloomsburg, while Sammi Starr (Berwick, Pa./21st Century Cyber Charter) had the go-ahead RBI double in the bottom of the sixth in a 3-2 game two win.

• With her two wins on Thursday, Baney is now 10-7 with a 3.11 earned run average (ERA) while striking out 88 batters in 104.1 innings of work. Abby Wild (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) has been equally impressive, leading the team with a 14-6 record in 18 starts on the year. Wild's 1.64 ERA is good for third in the PSAC, and her .199 opposing batting average ranks second in the conference. The sophomore is also tied for third in the PSAC in strikeouts with 124.

• In addition to Erney, the Bloomsburg offense is powered by freshman Erin DelPierre (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin), who is batting .433 with 23 RBI and 21 runs scored. Marissa Shelhamer (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia) is batting .294 with five homers and a team-high 25 runs batted in, while Starr has four home runs and 23 RBI. Danielle Barnes (Coopersburg, Pa./Southern Lehigh) is the third key freshman in the Huskies lineup this season, hitting .263 with 17 RBI, a team-high 29 runs scored, and is tied for the team-high in steals with seven.

SCOUTING THE BALD EAGLES
• Lock Haven enters Saturday's games at 8-6 in the PSAC Central after splitting a doubleheader with IUP on Thursday. It took until the ninth inning of game one for either team to break through on the scoreboard, but Bald Eagle bats finally erupted to the tune of five runs to notch a 5-0 extra-inning victory. 

• Becca Caputo has been a force in the Lock Haven lineup as she boasts a .302 batting average and leads the team in hits (39), doubles (11), and RBI (31). Casey Carpenter leads the team in home runs (8) and slugging percentage (.614). Rachel Gricoski is hitting .268 with 16 RBI and 22 runs scored.

• Bekah Slattery has made 20 starts inside the circle and is tied with Wild atop the PSAC with 14 wins on the season. She leads the team in ERA (1.37), innings pitched (143.1), strikeouts (213), saves (4), and opposing batting average (.169). Kayla Gee is 8-7 with a 4.15 ERA and 73 strikeouts this season.

LOOKING AHEAD
• Bloomsburg travels to Philadelphia for a doubleheader with Holy Family University next Tuesday, April 23, before traveling to Clarion for a PSAC Central double-dip on Friday, April 26. The Huskies will wrap up the regular season at home on Saturday, April 27, against IUP. First pitch with Holy Family is set for 2:30 p.m.