HARTSVILLE, S.C. – The Bloomsburg University softball team opened the 2020 season with a pair of losses to the University of Mount Olive (4-3), and Coker University (9-1 • 5 innings) in the first day of the Coker University Spring Tournament, Saturday. The Huskies begin the year 0-2.
 
Tied 0-0 going into the bottom of the second, the Huskies had two runners in scoring position with no outs and senior Julia Knight (Kennett Square, Pa./Unionville) up to bat. Knight laced a ball to shortstop but her only play was at first as sophomore Sammi Starr (Berwick, Pa./Berwick Area) came home and scored the first run of the season for Bloomsburg to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead.
 
Mount Olive got the run back in the top of the top of the third as Eileen Barre doubled to right center and brought home Madison Morg. The Huskies had a pair of runners on with one out in the bottom of the frame but a pair of fielder's choices ended the Huskies' scoring threat and the game remained tied.
 
The Trojans broke open the game in the top of the sixth with a pair of runs on three hits. With runners on second and third and one out, Megan Bryant singled to second and both runs came home to give UMO a 3-1 lead. Bloomsburg got one of the runs back in the bottom of the inning as Knight singled to right center and senior Kelsey Impink (Perkiomenville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) was able to come home. The Huskies loaded the bases as freshman Tyler White (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) walked and Knight advanced to second and redshirt junior Nicolette Ray (Abington, Pa./Abington) to third. Annika Gemberling (Denver, N.C./East Lincoln) reached on a fielder's choice but Mount Olive came home with the ball and got Ray out at the plate. The Trojans were able to get another fielder's choice, once again ending the Husky scoring chance.
 
The Trojans added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, a run that proved to be the difference maker as Impink doubled to right field in the bottom of the seventh with two out and Starr came home to score. Haley Brogde ended the game with a strikeout to earn her second win of the year.
 
Junior Abby Wild (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) pitched all seven innings for the Huskies, tying her career-high in strikeouts with 11. Wild allowed four runs, three earned, on six hits and four walks as she started the season 0-1.
 
In their second game of the day against Coker, the Huskies got off to a quick 1-0 start as sophomore Rebecca Rossi (Hazleton, Pa./Hazleton Area) singled up the middle and sophomore Erin DelPierre (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) scored from second.

The Cobras answered with seven runs on three hits and three costly Husky errors to take a 7-1 lead. Bloomsburg struggled to get its offense going after that and had just two walks in the final four frames.
 
Coker pushed its lead to 8-1 in the bottom of the second and took the 9-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth to seal the win.
 
Junior Tara Baney (Howard, Pa./Bellefonte) suffered the loss in the circle for the Huskies as she pitched the first two innings and gave up eight runs, just one earned, on six hits, three walks and struck out one. Freshman Savannah Doney (Trout Run, Pa./North Penn-Liberty) finished the final 2.1 innings and allowed just one earned run on five hits and struck out one.
 
For the day, Rossi collected three hits in six at bats and had one run batted in. Impink and Starr each had two hits while Starr scored twice. Knight had one hit and drove in two runs.
 
The Huskies get right back to action on Sunday in the second day of the Coker University Spring Tournament. Bloomsburg is scheduled to kick off the day against Fairmont State University at 10:00 a.m. before taking on Mount Olive for the second time at 12:30 p.m.