BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - Redshirt junior Kyle OFier (Pittston Township, Pa./Pittston Area) played the hero in both games of a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon as the Bloomsburg University baseball team swept visiting Mansfield University at Danny Litwhiler Field. The Huskies took game one, 5-4, and then completed the sweep with a 4-1, eight-inning, victory in game two as they took three-out-of-four from the Mountaineers over the weekend. Bloomsburg improved to 12-8 overall with an identical mark in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division. Mansfield, meanwhile, dropped to 7-17 overall and 6-14 in divisional play.

OFier delivered a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the seventh in game one and then belted a walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth in game two as the Huskies won both games in dramatic fashion. The Huskies' second baseman came into Sunday's action with the fourth-highest batting average in the conference at .439 and, while the walk-off hits proved to be his only hits of the afternoon, they obviously came at the perfect times. OFier now has team highs in home runs (6) and runs batted in (27) on the year.

Senior Ed Herbener (Drums, Pa./MMI Preparatory School) got the start on the mound in game one for the Huskies and provided Bloomsburg four solid innings in his best outing of the season. He was charged with four runs on five hits, no walks, and six strikeouts. The righthander really made only one mistake on the day as Assaf Lowengart belted a three-run home run in the top of the fourth inning which gave the visitors a 4-1 lead at that point.

The Mountaineers got a two-out solo home run from Tyler Melko in the top of the first inning but the Huskies answered right back in the home half of the first against Mansfield starter, Ryan King, to knot the game at 1-1. Redshirt junior Carter Chasanov (Magnolia, Del./Polytech) reached on a one-out walk, stole second, and then scored on an RBI single from redshirt junior Jared Burcin (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty).

The score remained 1-1 until the fourth when the visitors touched up Herbener for three runs to take a 4-1 advantage. The senior righthander allowed back-to-back one-out singles and then Lowengart connected on his sixth home run of the season to center field to provide the offense for the Mountaineers.

But, the Huskies responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to tie the contest at 4-4. Senior Cole Swiger (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) laid down a perfect bunt to reach with a leadoff single and then came in to score when freshman Wyatt Metzger (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) blasted his fourth home run of the season - a shot to right field - to pull Bloomsburg to within a run at 4-3. After a one-out walk to redshirt junior Jake Reed (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown), Todd Erney came on in relief of King and allowed a two-out double to Chasanov that allowed Reed to come in to score the tying run before getting out of the inning.

Redshirt sophomore Jared Marshman (Berwick, Pa./Berwick) came out of the bullpen to start the fifth inning and left a runner stranded at third in the fifth, retired the Mountaineers in order in the sixth, and pitched around a one-out walk in the seventh for his three scoreless innings of relief.

In the bottom of the seventh against Mansfield righthander Scott Poulson, Chasanov led off with a single and then stole second to get into scoring position with nobody out. OFier followed with a line drive single to right center on a 1-0 pitch that plated Chasanov for the game-one victory.

Marshman earned the victory in relief as he improved to 1-1 on the year. He allowed one hit and one walk in three scoreless innings while striking out five. Poulson pitched the sixth and then to two batters in the seventh to suffer his first loss of the year.

Bloomsburg out-hit Mansfield, 8-6, in the opener with Chasanov going 2-for-3 with two runs scored, two stolen bases, and an RBI to lead the way.

Game two turned into a pitcher's duel between Bloomsburg senior JJ Spehrley (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville Area) and Mansfield senior Colby Shimmell.

The nightcap was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when redshirt sophomore Tyler Wiik (Fogelsville, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) belted an opposite field, two-out, solo home run to give the Huskies a 1-0 advantage. The round-tripper was the first of Wiik's collegiate career.

The Huskies held the one-run lead until the top of the sixth when the Mountaineers tied the contest with the benefit of a hit. Spehrley issued a leadoff walk and then a sacrifice bunt and a two-out error allowed the tying run to cross the plate. Redshirt freshman Nate Baranski (Larksville, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) came on in relief and struck out the only batter he saw in the sixth to end the inning.

Both teams were quiet until the bottom of the eighth inning as redshirt sophomore Anthony Viggiano (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven) started the rally with a one-out single against Mansfield reliever, Josh Colon. Chasanov followed with a single to put runners at first and second with one out to set up OFier's game-two heroics. OFier blasted a 1-1 pitch from Colon well beyond the fence in right-center to complete the sweep in walk-off fashion.

Spehrley was brilliant as he went 5.2 innings and allowed an unearned run on two hits while walking one and striking out five. Baranski earned the victory with 2.1 hitless innings of relief. He walked one and struck out four to improve to 3-1 out of the pen this season. Shimmell pitched well for Mansfield in the no-decision. He went 5.1 innings and allowed a run on five hits, walked one, and struck out four. Colon dropped to 2-2 on the year as he allowed three runs in 1.2 innings.

Bloomsburg had eight hits in game two with Chasanov again leading the way with a pair of hits. Mansfield could muster only two hits in the nightcap - both off the bat of Melko.

The Huskies will return to action on Friday, April 23, and Saturday, April 24, as they embark on a four-game series against Millersville University. The teams will open the series in Millersville on Friday afternoon and then convene at Danny Litwhiler Field on Saturday with both doubleheaders beginning at noon.