GAME 1 HTML BOX SCORE | GAME 2 HTML BOX SCORE

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg University baseball team rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh as the Huskies posted a 9-8 victory in game one of a doubleheader against visiting Shippensburg University on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Danny Litwhiler Field. The Raiders bounced back for a 15-3 win in game two as the teams split the first of two twinbills this weekend. Bloomsburg moved to 15-8 overall and 5-5 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division while Shippensburg moved to 12-15 overall and 4-6 in the division.

The largest crowd of the year was on hand as the Huskies showed their support for Autism Awareness Month by partnering with Austim Speaks on Saturday afternoon. The Bloomsburg University chapter held plenty of activities during the day including face-painting, pet therapy, raffles, and concessions. WNEP COVERAGE

After the Raiders scored four unearned runs in the top of the seventh to take an 8-7 advantage in game one, the Huskies answered with two in the bottom of the seventh to earn the walk-off victory. Sophomore Kyle OFier (Pittston Township, Pa./Pittston Area) led off the home half of the seventh with a solo home run - his team-leading sixth of the season - to tie the game at 8-8. Sophomore Jared Burcin (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) started another rally with a single and then was lifted for freshman pinch-runner Anthony Viggiano (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven) who advanced to second after sophomore Ben Newbert (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Harriton) was hit by a pitch. Junior Nate Krizan (Montoursville, Pa./Home School) dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance both runners to second and third with one out. Senior Colton Hooker (Warrington, Pa./Upper Moreland) was intentionally walked which brought up junior Gianni Sinatore (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) with the bases loaded. On a 0-2 pitch from Shippensburg reliever Jared Showalter, Sinatore hit a bouncer to third that was bobbled by third baseman Justin Darden who was able to recover to record the force out at third base but had no other play as Viggiano trotted home for the game-winning run.

The comeback gave senior Trey Hinkle (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus) the win as he improved to 2-0 on the season. He allowed a go-ahead two-out, two-run double to Scout Knotts before getting out of the inning by retiring Zack Zoller on a fly ball to left.

Shippensburg took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first against senior starter Ashton Raines (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven). Zoller and Tommy Baggett started the inning with back-to-back singles and Zoller would eventually score on an infield single by Anthony Vavaroutsos for the first run of the contest. The Raiders tacked on a pair of unearned runs in the top of the third inning to extend the advantage to 3-0 before the Huskies got the bats going in the home half of the third against Shippensburg starter Zack Sims.

Hooker started the inning by striking out but reaching first base on a wild pitch. Sinatore singled for the Huskies' first hit of the game to put runners at first and second. Sophomore Jake Reed (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) followed with a base hit to load the bases with nobody out. Two batters later, junior Cole Swiger (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) drove home Bloomsburg's first run with a sacrifice fly to cut the Shippensburg lead to 3-1 and both Sinatore and Reed advanced a base on an errant throw home from the outfield. OFier singled to plate both runners and took second on the throw home as the Huskies evened the score at 3-3. Burcin then reached on a dropped pop-up by the second baseman which allowed OFier to score to give Bloomsburg its first lead of the afternoon. Newbert followed with a single and Krizan doubled home Burcin for the fifth run of the inning before Sims retired Hooker on a grounder to end the inning.

Bloomsburg added two more in the bottom of the fourth to take a 7-3 lead. Sinatore reached on an error to lead off the inning and eventually came around to score when junior Andrew Holmes (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township) bunted for a base hit with the throw by Darden ending up down the right field line. Swiger followed with another sacrifice fly to push the margin to 7-3.

The Raiders got an unearned run in the top of the fifth to cut the lead to 7-4, setting up the seventh-inning fireworks. Senior Zach Newmyer (New Cumberland, Pa./Red Land) came on in relief of Raines to start the seventh and promptly gave up a leadoff double to Baggett before retiring Jack Goertzen on a popup for the first out of the inning. Vavaroutsos walked to put runners at first and second with one out but Newmyer struck out Logan Williamson for the second out of the inning. It appeared that Newmyer would pick up his fourth save of the season when Darden hit a ground ball to third, but the ball was bobbled which loaded the bases for the Raiders. A hit batter and a single forced Newmyer out of the game as he was replaced by Hinkle.

Bloomsburg pitchers allowed eight runs but only one was earned as the Huskies made four costly errors in the opener. Raines went six innings and got a no-decision after allowing four runs (one earned) on nine hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out five. Newmyer pitched two-thirds of an inning and allowed four unearned runs on two hits, a walk, and a strikeout. Sims went six-plus innings and allowed eight runs (three earned) on ten hits. He walked one and struck out seven. Sims allowed the leadoff home run to OFier in the seventh before giving way to Showalter who was saddled with the loss as he dropped to 1-2.

OFier went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a home run, and three runs batted in. Reed, Newbert, and Sinatore also had two hits apiece in the opener.

Shippensburg used the long ball in game two to earn the split.

The Raiders scored two in the first off of sophomore starter Nick Stoner (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) courtesy of a two-run home run from Baggett. Ty Painter belted a two-out, two-run home run in the second to give the visitors a 4-0 advantage. The Raiders added another run in the third before Bloomsburg got on the board in the home half against Shippensburg starter Cole Backenstose. Senior Ryan Shiffer (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) and Sinatore drew back-to-back walks with one out and Shiffer trotted home on a run-scoring single from Holmes with two outs.

Knotts homered off of Stoner with one out in the top of the fourth as the Raiders regained their five-run lead at 6-1. The Huskies, however, battled back with a pair in the home half of the fifth to pull to within 6-3. Shiffer doubled to lead off the inning and then scored on an RBI double from Sinatore. Reed followed with an RBI single to trim the Raiders' lead to three before Shippensburg got out of the inning without any further damage.

Stoner started the sixth and pitched to three batters, allowing a single, a triple, and another single as the Raiders pushed the lead to 8-3. Redshirt junior James Reardon IV (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) and freshman Anthony Donato (Madison Township, Pa./North Pocono) closed out the inning but, when the dust settled, Shippensburg plated seven runs in the frame to take a 13-3 advantage. The visitors added two more in the seventh on a two-run home run by Zoller off of senior Jeremy Zezza (Exeter, Pa./Wyoming Area).

Stoner dropped to 3-2 on the year after allowing nine runs (eight earned) on nine hits in five-plus innings. He walked one and struck out seven. Reardon IV, Donato, and Zezza combined to allow six runs (two earned) on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Backenstose improved to 2-1 as he gave up three runs on five hits in four and two-thirds innings. He walked two and struck out four. Dalton Oates picked up the save as he came on in relief to protect a then three-run lead. He allowed three hits in two and one-third scoreless innings.

OFier had two of Bloomsburg's eight hits in the nightcap with one each from Reed, Holmes, Burcin, Shiffer, Sinatore, and Viggiano.

The two teams will conclude the weekend series on Sunday afternoon with a doubleheader in Shippensburg. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.