ASTON, Pa. - The Bloomsburg University baseball team dropped a pair of contests at West Chester University on Friday afternoon as the two teams opened a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division four-game weekend series. The Golden Rams came from behind to take the opener, 11-8 and then completed the sweep of the Huskies with a 17-3 victory in game two. Bloomsburg dropped to 5-5 overall and 5-5 in divisional play, while West Chester improved to 5-1 overall and 5-1 in the division.

The Huskies raced out to a 3-0 lead in the opener with a three-run first inning against West Chester starter Braeden Fausnaught. Fausnaught retired the first two batters to start the inning, but redshirt junior Jared Burcin (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) belted his first collegiate home run to plate the first run of the contest. Then, after a walk to redshirt junior Ben Newbert (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Harriton), redshirt junior Kyle OFier (Pittston Township, Pa./Pittston Area) continued his torrid start to the season by hitting his third home run of the year to give the Huskies a 3-0 advantage.

OFier now has 21 career round-trippers, tying him for fifth on the school's all-time list with Bloomsburg Hall of Famer John Stillo (1995-98) and current teammate, redshirt senior Cole Swiger (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin).

West Chester cut the deficit to 3-1 with a single run in the bottom of the second inning against redshirt senior Chad Cooperman (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury). The Huskies answered with a pair in the top of the third inning to extend the advantage to 5-1. Redshirt sophomore Anthony Viggiano (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven) started the rally with a one-out double and then advanced to third on a single from redshirt senior Gianni Sinatore (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall). Swiger plated the first run of the inning with an RBI groundout, and redshirt junior Jake Reed (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) followed with a run-scoring single to push the margin to four.

The Golden Rams got a one-out solo home run from Luke Cantwell off of Cooperman in the bottom of the fourth to cut the Bloomsburg lead to 5-2 and then scored five times in the bottom of the fifth to turn a three-run deficit into a two-run lead at 7-5. Cantwell, again, provided the big blow with a three-run home run to left that gave the hosts a 6-5 lead. West Chester would tack on another run before redshirt freshman Nate Baranski (Larksville, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) got out of the inning.

However, in the top of the sixth, Burcin led off with a single and then advanced to third on a double from Newbert to get the Huskies started. Two batters later, Viggiano singled to bring home both runners and tie the game at 7-7.

The Golden Rams scored four times against three Bloomsburg relievers in the home half of the sixth to take an 11-7 lead.

The Huskies made things interesting in the top of the seventh as they loaded the bases with nobody out on a walk, a hit batter, and an infield single. After a pair of strikeouts, OFier walked to bring home Reed, who led off the frame with a walk, to cut the West Chester lead to 11-8. The Golden Rams went to the bullpen and summoned Nick Picariello, who retired Viggiano for the contest's final out.

Baranski suffered his first loss of the season as he dropped to 2-1 on the year. He allowed three runs on four hits in two-thirds of an inning. Cooperman went 4.2 innings and allowed seven runs on five hits. He walked six and struck out four. Sophomore Brandon Walters (York, Pa./Central York) and redshirt freshman Logan Hile (Winfield, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) also pitched for the Huskies with Hile, who was making his first appearance of the season, inducing an inning-ending double play in the bottom of the sixth.

Bloomsburg had 11 hits in the opener, with two each from Burcin, Viggiano, and Sinatore.

Things again started promising for the Huskies in game two as they scored twice in the top of the first inning against West Chester starter Jack Slade.

Redshirt senior Andrew Holmes (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township) led off the ballgame with a single and then advanced to second on a walk to redshirt junior Carter Chasanov (Magnolia, Del./Polytech). OFier followed with a free pass to load the bases with nobody out. But, Slade induced a double-play off the bat of Burcin, with Holmes coming into score for a 1-0 Bloomsburg lead. Redshirt sophomore Tyler Wiik (Fogelsville, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) then reached on a two-out error which allowed Chasanov to score the Huskies' second run of the inning.

West Chester, however, answered with three in the bottom of the first inning against redshirt junior Nick Stoner (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) to take a 3-2 lead and never looked back.

The Golden Rams broke the game open with a seven-run second inning and then added three in the fourth, two in the fifth, and two more in the sixth to take a 17-2 lead.

Bloomsburg scored a run in the top of the seventh for the final margin. Redshirt junior Jared Schram (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North) led off with a single and then advanced to second on a balk. Redshirt freshman Cory Blohm (Millersville, Md./Archbishop Spalding) followed with a pinch-hit single to score Schram from second for the Huskies' run of the inning.

The Huskies were held to just five hits in game two, with one each from Holmes, Schram, Blohm, Sinatore, and freshman Brady Gibble (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson).

Stoner lasted just one inning-plus and suffered the loss as he saw his record drop to 1-1 on the year. Bloomsburg used three other pitchers in game two – redshirt freshman Brandon McGaw (Danville, Pa./Danville), redshirt senior Ed Herbener (Drums, Pa./MMI Preparatory School), and freshman Mike Vernieri. For McGaw, it was his first collegiate appearance.

Bloomsburg will look to even the score on Saturday afternoon as the two teams will conclude the weekend series at Danny Litwhiler Field. The first pitch of game one is scheduled for noon.