SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Bloomsburg University baseball team split a pair of high-scoring games against Slippery Rock University in a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday night at Jack Critchfield Park. The Huskies took game one by a 12-6 final before dropping a 13-12, eight-inning, decision in the nightcap. Bloomsburg moved to 26-10 overall while Slippery Rock saw its record move to 13-22.
 
Freshman Jared Marshman (Berwick, Pa./Berwick) got the ball for Bloomsburg in game one but was greeted rudely as Joe Campagna belted a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the first inning to put Slippery Rock ahead, 1-0. The Huskies answered in the top of the second as redshirt freshman Carter Chasanov (Magnolia, Del./Polytech) plated the Huskies' first run of the game with an RBI groundout that scored junior Cole Swiger (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) who had led off the inning with a double.
 
The Rock reclaimed a one-run lead as they scored a single run in the bottom of the third to take a 2-1 lead. Marshman was sensational in preventing further damage as Slippery Rock loaded the bases – on a hit batter, a single, and a walk – to start the inning. Jon Kozarian hit into a 6-4-3 double play to score the lone run before the freshman righthander retired Abraham Mow on a grounder to second to end the frame.
 
Bloomsburg used the momentum to its advantage in the top of the fourth as the Huskies scored four times to take a 5-2 lead. After Slippery Rock starter Colin Cain retired the first two batter of the inning, Chasanov doubled and then scored when sophomore Kyle OFier (Pittston Township, Pa./Pittston Area) launched his team-leading eighth home run of the season, on the first pitch of the at bat, to give the Huskies their first lead of the game. Sophomore Jake Reed (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) then drew a walk and junior Andrew Holmes (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township) followed suit as he blasted his sixth round-tripper of the year – on the first pitch he saw – to extend the Bloomsburg advantage to 5-2.
 
Tyler Merigliano led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run off of Marshman to cut the Bloomsburg lead to 5-3. Then, in the bottom of the fifth, Slippery Rock put its first two runners on base to end the night for the freshman righthander. Senior Trey Hinkle (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus) came on in relief and struck out the first batter he faced before allowing a walk to Campagna to load the bases. Two batters later, Merigliano doubled with two outs to drive home a pair and tie the game at 5-5.
 
The Huskies, however, scored five times in the top of the sixth to snap the tie and take a 10-5 lead. OFier led off with a single and scored on a double by Holmes for the first run of the inning. Holmes' two-bagger started a string of four consecutive hits for the Huskies as sophomore Jared Burcin (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) singled, sophomore Ben Newbert (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Harriton) singled, and senior Ryan Shiffer (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) doubled as the Huskies built an 8-5 lead. Freshman pinch-runner Anthony Viggiano (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven) scored the next run on a wild pitch and, two batters later, junior Nate Krizan (Montoursville, Pa./Home School) lifted a sacrifice fly to center to complete the scoring.
 
Bloomsburg added two more in the seventh on a two-out, two-run double from Viggiano to extend the advantage to 12-5. The Rock tallied a single run in the home half off of senior Jeremy Zezza (Exeter, Pa./Wyoming Area) for the final margin.
 
Hinkle improved to 4-0 on the season as he pitched two scoreless innings allowing a pair of hits and a walk while striking out three. He still has yet to allow an earned run in 14.2 innings of work this season. Marshman went four innings and pitched to two batters in the fifth. He allowed five runs on four hits, walked three, and struck out three. Zezza allowed a run on three hits in the seventh while striking out two.
 
Luke Trueman was saddled with the loss for Slippery Rock as he fell to 0-3 on the year. He allowed five runs on seven hits in just an inning and a-third out of the bullpen.
 
The Huskies had 14 hits in game one as Holmes went 2-of-3 with three runs scored, a double, a home run, and three RBI. Newbert, Shiffer, Swiger, and OFier each chipped in a pair of hits apiece. Merigliano and Ray Scala combined for six of Slippery Rock's nine hits.
 
Game two was a slugfest as every inning, except the sixth, saw at least one run.
 
The Rock touched up junior starter Ed Herbener (Drums, Pa./MMI Preparatory School) for three runs in the first and four more in the second as the hosts jumped out to a 7-1 advantage through two innings.
 
Bloomsburg's only run in the first two innings came off the bat of OFier who scored Krizan on a sacrifice fly in the top of the second.
 
The Huskies began to chip away in the top of the third as Holmes hit his second home run of the night – seventh of the season – to lead off the frame and to cut the deficit to 7-2. Freshman Anthony Donato (Madison Township, Pa./North Pocono), who recorded the final out of the second, pitched around a one-out walk in the bottom of the third to get the offense back to work.
 
Bloomsburg scored seven runs in the top of the fourth as it turned a 7-2 deficit into a 9-7 advantage. The inning started harmlessly enough as The Rock's Ricky Mineo retired the first batter of the frame before the roof caved in. Three consecutive walks to Reed, Holmes, and Swiger loaded the bases for Newbert who then cleared the bags with a grand slam home run, on a 3-1 pitch, to cut the Slippery Rock to 7-6. It was Newbert's fourth longball of the year. With still only one out in the fourth, Shiffer singled to start another rally. Krizan was then plunked and, two batters later, freshman Tyler Wiik (Fogelsville, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) tied the game at 7-7 with a run-scoring single. OFier, who was the first batter of the inning, followed with a two-run single that scored both Krizan and Wiik to put the Huskies in front, 9-7.
 
Tbe Rock answered with a pair of runs in the home half of the fourth to tie the game at 9-9 before Newbert ripped an RBI single in the top of the fifth to reclaim a 10-9 advantage. But, in the bottom of the fifth, Slippery Rock scored three times to take a 12-10 lead when Abraham Mow laced a three-run triple against redshirt junior James Reardon IV (Springfield, Pa./Springfield).
 
Trailing 12-10 in the top of the seventh, Holmes led off the inning with a single before back-to-back strikeouts put the Huskies in jeopardy. Shiffer, however, gave Bloomsburg life with an RBI double to pull within a run. Krizan followed with an infield single and Chasanov tied the game at 12-12 when he singled back up the middle on an 0-2 pitch to plate Viggiano who came on to pinch-run for Shiffer.
 
The Rock threatened in the bottom of the seventh against junior Chad Cooperman (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury) who came on in relief. After a hit batter, a sacrifice bunt, and an intentional walk, Cooperman was able to induce an inning-ending double play off the bat of Mow to send the game to extras. Cooperman, however, was not as fortunate in the eighth as he uncharacteristically walked three batters in the inning – one intentional – with his final free pass bringing home the winning run.
 
Cooperman dropped to 5-3 on the season as he suffered the loss. Herbener, Donato, and Reardon IV combined to pitch the first six innings for the Huskies. Andy McClymonds improved to 2-1 as he earned the victory by pitching a perfect eighth inning. He was the only pitcher, on either side, who was not scored upon.
 
Bloomsburg had ten more hits in game – two each from Holmes, Newbert, and Shiffer. Holmes scored four times while Newbert drove home five in the loss. Mow went 2-for-4 with six RBI in the victory for Slippery Rock.
 
The Huskies return to conference action against the Bald Eagles of Lock Haven University in an important four-game series this weekend. The teams will open at Danny Litwhiler Field on Friday, April 26, for Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day and then will head to Lock Haven on Saturday, April 27, to conclude the series. Both doubleheaders are slated to begin at 1:00 p.m.