GAME 1 HTML BOX SCORE | GAME 2 HTML BOX SCORE

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg University baseball team was held to just seven hits off of three West Chester University pitchers on Saturday afternoon as the Huskies were swept in a doubleheader for the second consecutive day at the hands of the Golden Rams. Bloomsburg dropped a 3-1 decision in the opener and then suffered a 7-4 setback in game two to fall to 31-14 overall and 18-10 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division. West Chester improved to 29-13 overall and 19-9 in the division.

The Huskies will enter the PSAC tournament as the third seed in the Eastern Division and will play at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8, in the opening day of the postseason at Point Stadium in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Bloomsburg's opponent is yet to be determined as seeds have not been finalized in the Western Division with Cal U still needing to play a doubleheader against Slippery Rock on Sunday afternoon. If the Vulcans sweep The Rock on Sunday, they would clinch the second spot in the west and would be the Huskies' opening-game opponent. If Cal U splits or is swept on Sunday, Bloomsburg would open against Mercyhurst University.

The opener was a pitching duel between junior righthander JJ Spehrley (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville Area) and West Chester righthander David Mervis.

The Golden Rams struck first with an unearned run in the top of the first inning against Spehrley, but the right-hander settled into a groove and kept throwing zeroes on the scoreboard to keep the Huskies in the game.

Unfortunately for Bloomsburg, Mervis was doing the same thing until the bottom of the fifth inning when sophomore Kyle OFier (Pittston Township, Pa./Pittston Area) belted his 12th home run of the season to lead off the frame and to tie the game at 1-1. The round-tripper not only broke up Mervis' shutout bid but was also the first hit of the game for the Huskies. OFier's 12 home runs are third-most in program history, trailing only Ryan Kirman's 16 in 2016 and Matt Karchner's 14 in 1989.

The Huskies turned to senior Trey Hinkle (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus) in the top of the sixth to attempt to preserve the tie. However, after Hinkle retired the first two batters on a strikeout and a grounder to short, the Golden Rams strung together three consecutive singles - with an error mixed in - to plate a pair of runs and to take a 3-1 advantage. Senior Zach Newmyer (New Cumberland, Pa./Red Land) came on to prevent any further damage as he recorded the final out of the inning. Both runs against Hinkle were unearned.

Bloomsburg went quietly in the sixth and then got a two-out single from redshirt freshman Carter Chasanov (Magnolia, Del./Polytech) in the seventh to send the tying run to the plate in the form of sophomore pinch-hitter Ben Newbert (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Harriton). The sophomore worked a full count and then just got under a pitch from Mervis which resulted in a popup to third to end the game.

Hinkle was tagged with his first loss of the season as he fell to 4-1 on the year despite not allowing an earned run. Spehrley was sensational as he tossed the first five innings and allowed only an unearned run on four hits while walking two and striking out three. Newmyer retired all four batters he faced.

Mervis went the distance to improve to 5-0 for the Golden Rams. He allowed a run on three hits, walked two, and struck out six.

OFier, Chasanov, and freshman Tyler Wiik (Fogelsville, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) accounted for the three Bloomsburg hits.

Junior Chad Cooperman (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury) took the bump in game two and, similar to the first contest, was touched up for an unearned run in the top of the second as West Chester took a 1-0 advantage. But, unlike the opener, the Huskies answered with three runs in the bottom of the second against West Chester starter Scott McKenna to take a 3-1 lead.

Newbert and OFier drew back-to-back walks to start the rally with Newbert coming into to score on a double to left from junior Nate Krizan (Montoursville, Pa./Home School) to knot the game at 1-1. McKenna was given the hook early, and Tim Edwards was summoned from the West Chester bullpen to pitch to Chasanov. On the very first pitch from Edwards, Chasanov laced a double to left to plate both OFier and Krizan for the second and third runs of the frame. Edwards prevented further damage with a pair of strikeouts to end the inning.

Both Cooperman and Edwards were cruising along until the bottom of the fifth when the Huskies tacked on a run to push the margin to 4-1. Holmes reached on a two-out double to left and then scored when junior Swiger reached on an error.

West Chester got the run back in the top of the sixth with a solo home run by Kyle Feaster to start the inning, but the Huskies still held a 4-2 lead heading to the seventh.

Newmyer, the PSAC leader in saves with seven, came on to attempt to secure the two-run lead in the top of the seventh but allowed a leadoff home run to Luke Cantwell as the Golden Rams cut the deficit to 4-3. The senior right-hander then retired the next two batters before allowing a two-out single to Zach Wright. Feaster followed with his second home run in as many innings to give the visitors a 5-4 advantage. Two batters later, Jared Melone added some insurance with a two-run shot of his own to extend the West Chester lead to 7-4. Hinkle came on to record the final out of the inning.

Krizan started the home half of the seventh with a single but was left stranded at second as West Chester swept the weekend series from the Huskies.

Cooperman was brilliant in his six innings as he allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits while walking one and striking out eight. Newmyer dropped to 1-2 on the year as he gave up the five runs in the seventh. Edwards was the unsung hero for West Chester after allowing only an unearned run on three hits in five and two-thirds innings while not issuing a walk and striking out seven. He improved to 3-1 on the year.

Krizan had two of Bloomsburg's four hits with the others going to Holmes and Chasanov.

The Huskies honored seven senior members of the roster - Mark Bobko (Metuchen, N.J./St. Joseph Metuchen), Trey Hinkle (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus), Colton Hooker (Warrington, Pa./Upper Moreland), Zach Newmyer (New Cumberland, Pa./Red Land), Ashton Raines (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven), Ryan Shiffer (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South), and Jeremy Zezza (Exeter, Pa./Wyoming Area) - prior to the opening pitch. Bloomsburg also recognized graduate assistant coach Rob Hardy during the pre-game ceremony.
 
Bloomsburg will make its second consecutive trip to the PSAC tournament for the first time in program history next week. The championship opens on Wednesday, May 8, in Johnstown.