KUTZTOWN, Pa. - For the second consecutive day, the Bloomsburg University baseball team had to settle for a split against Kutztown University after winning the opening game of the doubleheader. On Sunday afternoon, the Huskies used a three-run sixth inning to earn a 7-5 win in game one before the Golden Bears responded with a 5-1 victory in game two. Bloomsburg moved to 5-3 overall and 5-3 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division while Kutztown moved to 10-3 overall and 5-3 in the division.

Senior righthander JJ Spehrley (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville Area) took the mound in game one for the Huskies and was staked to a 3-0 lead when Bloomsburg scored three times in the top of the second against Kutztown starter, Steve Wagner.

In the three-run second, redshirt sophomore Tyler Wiik (Fogelsville, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) led off the inning with an infield single and then advanced to second on a single from freshman Wyatt Metzger (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area). Redshirt sophomore Anthony Viggiano (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven) followed with a free pass from Wagner to load the bases with nobody out. Wiik scampered home for the first run of the game on a wild pitch and senior Andrew Holmes (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township) and redshirt junior Carter Chasanov (Magnolia, Del./Polytech) provided run-scoring groundouts to account for the final two runs of the inning.

Bloomsburg added a run in the top of the fourth to push the lead to 4-0. Viggiano and senior Cole Swiger (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) drew back-to-back walks to start the inning and redshirt junior Jake Reed (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) bunted them over to second and third with one out. Viggiano would come in to score for the Huskies on a passed ball for the only run of the inning.

Spehrley, who had a no-hitter up to that point, ran into trouble in the home half of the fourth inning as Kutztown finally broke through against the righthander. Ethan Martini led off the inning with a double to break up the no-hit bid and, after Collin Bishop walked, both runners would score on a two-run double from Andy Blum to pull the Golden Bears within two. Three batters later, Blum scored on an RBI single from Connor Teschko to cut the Huskies' advantage to 4-3.

Kutztown then took the lead, 5-4, in the bottom of the fifth as Antonio Rossillo belted a two-out, two-run home run off of sophomore reliever Nate Baranski (Larksville, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) who came on in relief of Spehrley with one out and one on. Baranski struck out Blum to end the inning and to set up the Huskies for a comeback in the top of the sixth.

In the sixth, Swiger singled with one out and advanced to second on a walk to Reed. Holmes knotted the score at 5-5 with an RBI single that plated Swiger and Chasanov followed with a run-scoring base hit to bring home Reed for the go-ahead run. Redshirt junior Kyle OFier (Pittston Township, Pa./Pittston Area) doubled to right in the next at bat to drive home Holmes for an insurance run as the Huskies took a 7-5 lead.

Baranski finished off the Golden Bears, pitching around a leadoff single in the sixth and a two-out single in the seventh, as the Huskies took game one. The righthander got the victory in relief as he went 2.2 innings and allowed one run on three hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out two to improve to 2-0. Spehrley allowed four runs on four hits in 4.1 innings. He walked four and struck out six in the no-decision. Zach Male suffered the loss in relief for Kutztown as he dropped to 2-1 on the year. He allowed three runs (two earned) on one hit in 2.1 innings while walking three and striking out four.

Bloomsburg had nine hits in game one with Holmes and OFier producing two hits apiece. Holmes also scored a run and drove in a pair. Kutztown had seven hits - one each from seven different players.

Sophomore Brandon Walters (York, Pa./Central York) made his first career start for the Huskies in game two and deserved a much better fate as he allowed five runs to the Golden Bears in the first two innings - but none of the runs were earned.

Walters retired the first two batters in the bottom of the first inning before Bishop singled through the left side of the infield. Rossillo then reached after getting plunked with a pitch to put runners at first and second with two outs. It appeared that the sophomore righthander would get out of the inning unscathed but a throwing error allowed Bishop to score and keep the inning alive. A wild pitch plated the second run and then Zach Moretski belted a two-run home run to finish off the four-run first inning for the Golden Bears.

Kutztown added its final run in the bottom of the second when Martini scored on a passed ball which pushed the advantage to 5-0 after two innings.

The runs were more than enough for Gavin Moretski who kept the Huskies' offense at bay. Bloomsburg would score a run against the righthander in the top of the fifth inning when Reed reached on a two-out single, advanced to second after a walk to Holmes, and then would score on an RBI single from Chasanov. The Huskies had a chance to inch closer, but Moretski retired OFier with runners on second and third to end the inning.

Walters gave way to freshman Michael Standen (Drexel Hill, Pa./Monsignor Bonner) with two outs in the top of the second and the lefthander was sensational as he shut down the Golden Bears' offense the rest of the afternoon. Standen struck out six and allowed only two hits and two walks over 4.2 innings scoreless innings on Sunday afternoon and in two outings this season, he has pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits and three walks with 11 strikeouts.

Walters suffered the loss as he surrendered five runs (none earned) on three hits. He walked two and struck out one. Gavin Moretski picked up his first win of the season as he went six innings and allowed one run on four hits. He walked two and struck out nine. Zach Peters pitched the seventh and allowed only a pinch-hit single to redshirt junior Ben Newbert (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Harriton) in his scoreless inning of relief.

Both teams had only five hits in game two. Chasanov, OFier, Viggiano, Reed, and Newbert had the hits for Bloomsburg in the nightcap.

The Huskies will return to action next Friday and Saturday, March 26 and March 27, when it takes on West Chester University in home-and-home doubleheaders. The two teams will begin the series in West Chester on Friday and then will conclude the four-game set on Saturday at Danny Litwhiler Field. Both twinbills are slated to begin at noon.