BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg University baseball team dropped a pair of conference contests against visiting Millersville University on Saturday afternoon at Danny Litwhiler Field. The Marauders won game one by a 9-1 final and then went on to complete the sweep of the Huskies with a 16-8 victory in the nightcap as Bloomsburg dropped to 13-11 overall and 13-11 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division. Millersville improved to 19-9 overall and 16-7 in the division.

The Huskies couldn't generate much at the plate against Millersville's game-one starter, Jeff Taylor, who went the distance to improve to 6-1 on the season. He limited Bloomsburg to one run on six hits, walked one, and struck out six in the complete-game effort.

Senior Ed Herbener (Drums, Pa./MMI Preparatory School) matched Taylor through the first two innings but ran into trouble in the top of the third as the Marauders scored three times to take a 3-0 advantage. Bren Taylor provided the big blow of the inning with a two-run shot to right field. Freshman Matt Vernieri (Barnegat, N.J./Barnegat) came on in relief with one out in the inning and struck out Mark Miller, with two on, and Tyler Wright, with the bases loaded, to end the inning.

Bloomsburg responded in the bottom of the third as it loaded the bases with nobody out against Jeff Taylor. Redshirt junior Jake Reed (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) drew a four-pitch walk to lead off and then back-to-back singles from redshirt sophomore Anthony Viggiano (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven) and redshirt junior Carter Chasanov (Magnolia, Del./Polytech) put the Huskies in business. But, the Millersville lefthander induced a double play and a groundout to get out of the jam allowing only a single run as Reed scored on the twin killing.

The escape act gave Millersville the momentum back and the Marauders scored four runs in the top of the fourth to take a 7-1 lead and then added two more in the fifth for the final margin.

Herbener dropped to 0-2 on the season after allowing three runs on three hits in 2.1 innings. He walked five and struck out four. Vernieri, redshirt freshman Alex Cornell (Drexel Hill, Pa./Archbishop Carroll), and sophomore Brandon Walters (York, Pa./Central York) finished the game for the Huskies out of the bullpen. Walters pitched a scoreless seventh with a pair of strikeouts.

Viggiano and redshirt junior Ben Newbert (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Harriton) each had two of Bloomsburg's six hits in game one while Chasanov and senior Andrew Holmes (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township) had the others in the opener.

In game two, senior JJ Spehrley (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville Area) got the ball for the Huskies but could only get through two innings as the Marauders scored six times in the top of the second to take a 6-0 advantage. Millersville added an unearned run in the top of the third and then scored eight times - only one earned run - in the top of the fourth to push the margin to 15-0.

Freshman Jonathan LaBarbera enjoyed a career highlight in the bottom of the fifth inning as he belted a pinch-hit two-run home run off of Millersville starter, Paul Wilson, for his first collegiate hit - and first collegiate home run - to cut the deficit to 15-2. Senior Gianni Sinatore (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall), who reached on a leadoff walk, scored on the round-tripper. LaBarbera became the second Huskies' freshman this season to record a home run for his first career hit as he joined Wyatt Metzger (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) who homered in his first career at bat at Shepherd on March 12.

Millersville added a run in the top of the sixth before the Huskies scored a pair in the home half of the inning to make the score 16-4. Freshman Brady Gibble (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson) singled to lead off the inning, advanced to second when redshirt junior Kyle OFier (Pittston Township, Pa./Pittston Area) was hit by a pitch, and then took third on a walk to redshirt sophomore Tyler Wiik (Fogelsville, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh). Two batters later, LaBarbera was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in Gibble for the first run of the inning. Senior Cole Swiger (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) was also plunked two batters later to score OFier for the Huskies' second run of the frame.

After Walters, again, pitched a scoreless seventh, the Huskies did their best to make things interesting in the bottom of the seventh.

Viggiano led off the inning with a single and then came in to score on the first collegiate home run from Gibble - a no-doubt shot to right-center off of Millersville reliever, Bobby Dorta, to pull the Huskies to within 16-6. OFier reached on a one-out error and then advanced to second on a single from Metzger as the inning stayed alive. LaBarbera walked to load the bases with one out which ended the day for Dorta. Wyatt Tyson came on in relief and recorded the first out before hitting Swiger with a pitch to bring home OFier for the third run of the inning. Redshirt junior Jake Reed (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) followed with a single to score Metzger before Tyson retired Viggiano with the bases still loaded to end the contest.

Bloomsburg had seven hits in game two with Gibble going 2-for-2 with two runs scored, his first career home run, and two runs driven in. LaBarbera reached base in all three of his plate appearances as he finished 1-for-1 with his first career home run, a walk, a hit by pitch, and three RBI. Viggiano had his second two-hit game of the day as he finished 2-for-5 with a run scored.

Spehrley suffered his first loss of the season as he dropped to 1-1. Redshirt freshman Logan Hile (Winfield, Pa./Selinsgrove Area), redshirt freshman Brandon McGaw (Danville, Pa./Danville), freshman Dylan Lubinski (Levittown, Pa./Pennsbury), freshman Nick Heubel (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill West), and Walters also pitched for the Huskies. Heubel was making his first collegiate appearance on the mound and allowed a run on two hits with a walk and a strikeout in 1.2 innings of work.

The Huskies will look to get back on track next Friday and Saturday, April 30 and May 1, when they embark on a four-game series against Lock Haven. The teams will open in Lock Haven on Friday and then convene at Danny Litwhiler Field on Saturday. Both doubleheaders start at noon.