WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The Bloomsburg University softball team dropped both games of a doubleheader to West Chester, Saturday afternoon. The Golden Rams took the first game 9-1 in five innings before capping the doubleheader with a 10-5 win in the night cap. The Huskies fell to 5-13 on the year and 3-13 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East action while the Golden Rams improved to 9-2 for the season and 7-2 in conference play.
 
After a quiet first inning for both teams, the Golden Rams plated the first run of the afternoon as Katelyn Rittenbaugh was able to come home on a two-out Husky error. Senior Tara Baney (Howard, Pa./Bellefonte Area) got Bri Garber to line out to junior Sammi Starr (Berwick, Pa./Berwick Area) at short stop to end the inning and limit any damage.
 
The Huskies put the first two runners on in the top of the third as junior Alexis Wetzler (Bellefonte, Pa./Bellefonte Area) singled down the right field line to lead off the frame and redshirt junior Abby Wild (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) reached on fielder's choice in which everyone was safe. Mary Picozzi was able to get out of the jam, however, as she got a pair of ground outs and a line out to end the inning.
 
The Golden Rams did their damage in the bottom of the third as they scored seven times on five hits and two Husky errors to take an 8-0 lead. The Golden Rams used small ball and smart base running to bring all seven runs home.
 
The Huskies made some noise in the top half of the fourth as they got one run back on a pair of hits. Senior Nicolette Ray (Abington, Pa./Abington) led off the frame with a single to center and freshman Kammy Kropinski (Conshohocken, Pa./Plymouth-Whitemarsh) came in to run for Ray. Freshman Alex Iseminger (Everett, Pa./Everett Area) singled to left to put the first two runners on and both were promptly moved into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt from senior Briannah Dobson (York, Pa./Central York). Junior Danielle Barnes (Coopersburg, Pa./Southern Lehigh) worked a walk to load the bases and Wetzler flew out to left to bring home Kropinski for the Huskies first run. Picozzi got herself out of the inning with a fly out to right to keep the game at 8-1.
 
Freshman Savannah Doney (Trout Run, Pa./North Penn-Liberty) came out in relief of Baney to pitch the fourth for Bloomsburg. After a lead-off single for West Chester, the Huskies were able to get a pair of ground outs but left a runner in scoring position. Annamarie Hartman made it a 9-1 game as she tripled to right center that brought Emily Kim home. Doney got out of the inning with a pop up to short to bring the Huskies up one final time.
 
Freshman Kayleigh Lenner (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) reached first on a WCU error to lead off the inning and moved to second on a ground out from Starr but was standard there as Picozzi got a final ground out to end the game and pick up the win for West Chester.
 
Baney suffered the loss and fell to 1-8 on the year after going 3.0 innings and allowing eight runs, seven earned, on eight hits and four walks while she struck out three. Picozzi picked up the win after going the distance and allowing just one run on three hits and two walks. Picozzi did not strike out a Husky.
 
Bloomsburg jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning of game two as the first three batters of the inning reached and scored before an out was recorded. Lenner led off with a walk and moved to second a wild pitch before junior Erin DelPierre (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) brought her home with a double to left center. Starr continues to swing a hot bat and roped a single to bring home DelPierre. Starr advanced to second on the throw and to third because of an error by the centerfielder before coming home on an error by the catcher. Jen Hanshaw replaced Anna Torrens in the circle and settled in after the wild start to the game and got pair of outs before giving up a single to Dobson but ended the frame with a ground ball to first.
 
The Golden Rams got one run back in the bottom of the second on two hits and two more runs in the bottom of the second on four hits to take a 4-3 lead. The Huskies went 1-2-3 in the third and WCU tacked on three more runs on three hits and an error to push its lead to 7-3 after three innings.
 
Bloomsburg threatened in the top of the fourth as Barnes and Wetzler hit back-to-back two out singles for BU. After a wild pitch moved both runners up a base, Hanshaw got Wild to fly out to right to end the inning and threat.
 
Wild got the Golden Rams down in order in the bottom of the fourth before the Huskies rallied for a one on two hits in the top of the fifth to cut the lead to 7-4. DelPierre doubled to center with one out and Starr singled to short stop to put runners on the corners for Bloomsburg. Ray grounded out to first but was able to bring DelPierre home for the Huskies' fourth run of the game.
 
West Chester broke open the game with three runs on four hits in the bottom of the sixth to take a 10-4 lead. Baney came out in relief of Wild and got a bases-loaded ground ball to third to get Kim at home and end the inning.
 
The Huskies got a run back in the top of the seventh but Ray's RBI-double to center field that brought home Starr proved to be the last Husky run as the Golden Rams hung on to win, 10-5.
 
Wild took the loss in the circle for BU as she fell to 4-4 for the year after going 5.1 innings and allowing 10 runs, on 12 hits and three walks while striking out four. Hanshaw got the win for WCU after going 7.0 innings and allowing just two runs on eight hits and one walk and striking out one.
 
Starr led the Huskies at the plate as she went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI while Ray drove in a run.
 
The Huskies return to action on Friday as they host East Stroudsburg in the PSAC East show down at Jan M. Hutchinson Field. The first pitch of the twin bill is scheduled for 2:30 pm. Links for live stats and broadcast are available at buhuskies.com.