BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - Redshirt senior righthander Chad Cooperman (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury) threw a complete-game one-hit shutout in game one to help the Bloomsburg University baseball team to a doubleheader split against visiting Kutztown University on Saturday afternoon at Danny Litwhiler Field. Bloomsburg won game one, 8-0, before Kutztown rebounded for a 13-6 victory in game two to salvage the split. The Huskies moved to 4-2 overall and 4-2 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division while the Golden Bears saw their record go to 9-2 overall and 4-2 in divisional play.

Cooperman was in complete control in the opener as he needed only 95 pitches to improve to 2-0 on the season. The only hit the righthander allowed was a line drive single to center field off the bat of Andy Blum to open the top of the second inning. He walked two and struck out a career-high tying ten batters - his third career ten-strikeout performance. It was also his third career shutout, moving him into a tie for fourth-place on the school's all-time list with Sean Holden (1997-99).

Bloomsburg provided all the offense Cooperman would need when it scored twice in the bottom of the first inning against Kutztown starter, Dominic Proietto. Redshirt junior Carter Chasanov (Magnolia, Del./Polytech) singled to center with one out, took second on a fielding error, and scored on an RBI double from redshirt junior Kyle OFier (Pittston Township, Pa./Pittston Area) - the reigning PSAC East Athlete of the Week. Two batters later, redshirt junior Jared Burcin (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) doubled home OFier to give the Huskies a 2-0 advantage.

The lead moved to 3-0 in the bottom of the second when redshirt sophomore Anthony Viggiano (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven) reached on a one-out double and then scored on an infield single from redshirt senior Andrew Holmes (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township).

Bloomsburg broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth when it scored four times to balloon the lead to 7-0. Back-to-back doubles from senior Gianni Sinatore (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) and Viggiano plated the first run of the inning and then a sacrifice fly from Holmes gave the Huskies their second run of the inning. Chasanov and OFier followed with back-to-back, two-out, solo home runs to end the afternoon for Proietto. Gavin Grande came on in relief and allowed a walk to redshirt junior Ben Newbert (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Harriton) and a double to Burcin before getting out of the inning without any further damage.

The Huskies tacked on one more in the home half of the fifth on a run-scoring single from Holmes that plated Viggiano who reached on a one-out single.

The story, however, was Cooperman who, at one point, retired 13 consecutive batters following the leadoff single in the second inning until a one-out walk to Gavin Moretski in the top of the sixth. He also recorded six consecutive strikeouts as he struck out the side in both the second and third innings.

Bloomsburg had 14 hits against three Kutztown pitchers in the opener. Viggiano was 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles, three runs scored, and an RBI. OFier went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, two runs scored, and two runs batted in. Holmes added two hits and three runs batted in while Chasanov and Burcin each had a pair of hits in the victory.

Proietto suffered his first loss of the season as he allowed seven runs on ten hits in 3.2 innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out five.

It looked like much of the same in game two as the Huskies held a 3-0 lead heading to the top of the sixth inning with redshirt junior Nick Stoner (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) cruising through the first five innings. Stoner allowed two hits, three walks, and hit a batter through five scoreless innings with Bloomsburg scoring twice in the bottom of the first and one in the bottom of the fifth to take a 3-0 advantage.

Holmes led off the game with a double to left center against Kutztown starter, Matt Ziminsky. Holmes promptly advanced to third on a wild pitch and, after a walk and a stolen base from Chasanov, OFier laced an RBI single to right to plate Holmes for the first run of the game. Two batters later, Burcin plated Chasanov on a run-scoring groundout for a 2-0 lead.

The 2-0 lead for the Huskies remained until the bottom of the fifth when OFier plated redshirt junior Jake Reed (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) on an RBI groundout which ended the afternoon for Ziminsky.

However, the roof caved in for the Huskies as Kutztown scored nine runs in the top of the sixth and added four more in the top of the seventh to take a 13-3 advantage.

Stoner came out to start the sixth and allowed a walk, a single, and a wild pitch to start the inning. Proietto drove home the first run on an RBI fielder's choice to cut the Huskies' lead to 3-1. But, Zach Moretski followed with a two-run home run to left center to tie the game at 3-3 which ended Stoner's day on the mound. Redshirt sophomore Jared Marshman (Berwick, Pa./Berwick) came out of the Bloomsburg bullpen and promptly allowed back-to-back singles and a go-ahead RBI double to Gavin Moretski as Kutztown took its first lead of the afternoon, 4-3. After a strikeout, Collin Bishop came up with the big blow of the inning - a three-run home run to center - to give the Golden Bears a 7-3 advantage. Kutztown would add two more runs on a two-run blast from Blum and, when the dust settled, the visitors had a 9-3 lead.

Kutztown carried the momentum into the top of the seventh as it added four more runs against senior Ed Herbener (Drums, Pa./MMI Preparatory School) to take a 13-3 advantage. Freshman Matt Vernieri (Barnegat, N.J./Barnegat) retired the final batter of the inning in his first collegiate outing.

Bloomsburg tried to make things interesting in the bottom of the seventh as freshman Wyatt Metzger (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) led off the inning with a pinch-hit home run to left center - his second round-tripper of the season and his second pinch-hit home run of the year. Two batters later, Holmes drew a one-out walk and then advanced to third on a single from Chasanov. OFier plated Holmes with a run-scoring single to cut the deficit to 13-5. After a pop-up for the second out of the inning, Burcin singled up the middle to drive home Chasanov to trim the lead to 13-6. But, a diving catch from Ethan Martini in left center off the bat of Viggiano, which potentially saved two runs, ended the thought of a miraculous comeback attempt by the Huskies.

Stoner went 5.1 innings and allowed three runs on four hits. He walked four and struck out eight in the no-decision. Ziminsky also earned a no-decision for Kutztown as the Golden Bears' starter went 4.2 innings and allowed three runs on four hits. He walked two and struck out six. Jake Skrocki got the win in relief as he pitched the final 2.1 innings and allowed three runs on four hits, walked one, and struck out two.

Kutztown out-hit Bloomsburg, 12-8, in game two. OFier went 2-for-4 with three RBI while Chasanov and Burcin each had two hits apiece in the losing effort.

The two teams will conclude the series on Sunday, March 21, in Kutztown for a doubleheader beginning at noon.