MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - Pitching in the biggest game of his young collegiate career - a winner-take-all game three in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Semifinals - freshman Michael Standen (Drexel Hill, Pa./Monsignor Bonner) rose to the challenge. The southpaw tossed a complete-game, four-hit shutout to send the Bloomsburg University baseball team to the PSAC Championship after a 13-0 victory at top-seeded Millersville University on Monday afternoon. The Huskies moved to 21-15 on the season and will head to the top seed out west, Seton Hill University, for the conference championship best-of-three series beginning on Friday.

Senior Gianni Sinatore (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) provided all of the offense Standen needed as he sparked a two-out rally with a bases-clearing double in the top of the first and then added a two-run double in the top of the seventh for a career-high five RBI in the game-three win.

But, the story of the day was Standen, who was making his first appearance on the mound since tossing five innings for a win over Lock Haven on May 1. The freshman southpaw allowed four hits - all singles - and did not walk a batter while striking out a career-high ten. His previous best was seven strikeouts in a win over Mansfield back on April 17. Standen improved to 3-2 on the year.

As it turned out, Bloomsburg's four-run first inning against Millersville starter, Ben Wilchacky, was all Standen needed. Wilchacky threw 52 pitches in the top of the first and allowed four runs on just one hit - the three-run double to Sinatore. He walked three and hit a batter as the Huskies chased him after one inning of work.

In the first, Wilchacky got the first out of the inning before walking redshirt junior Carter Chasanov (Magnolia, Del./Polytech). Two batters later, redshirt junior Jared Burcin (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) walked, and senior Andrew Holmes (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township) was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. Senior Cole Swiger (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) walked to bring home Chasanov for the first run of the inning, and Sinatore followed with a two-strike, three-run double to left-center to give the Huskies a 4-0 advantage.

Standen pitched around a two-out single in the bottom of the first and then went on to retire 15 consecutive Millersville batters, which was broken by a two-out bunt single from Tyler Wright in the bottom of the sixth.

Meanwhile, the Huskies' offense quieted against Millersville reliever Kris Pirozzi, who was able to keep the hosts within striking distance. Pirozzi pitched three scoreless innings but ran into trouble in the top of the fifth as Bloomsburg was able to scratch another run across to push the margin to 5-0.

In the fifth, redshirt junior Kyle OFier (Pittston Township, Pa./Pittston Area) led off with a single, and then Burcin walked to put runners at first and second with nobody out. Aidan Welch came on in relief of Pirozzi and retired the first batter he faced before Swiger singled to left to plate OFier for the inning's only run.

It remained a five-run lead for the Huskies until Bloomsburg broke the game open with eight runs in the top of the seventh for the final margin. The Huskies had only three hits in the inning as they took advantage of six free passes - three with the bases loaded.

In the eight-run frame, Chasanov led off with a single and then three consecutive walks to OFier, Burcin, and Holmes brought the first run of the inning across. After the first out was recorded, Sinatore laced a two-run double to left-center to balloon the lead to 8-0. Two batters later, redshirt junior Jake Reed (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) walked, followed by a pair of bases-loaded walks to redshirt sophomore Anthony Viggiano (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven) and Chasanov, brought the lead to 10-0. OFier put the cherry on top with a three-run double to right-center for the final runs of the inning.

Standen gave up consecutive one-out singles in the bottom of the seventh but retired the final two batters - the last on his tenth strikeout of the game - to complete the shutout.

Bloomsburg scored 13 runs on just seven hits as it took advantage of 13 walks from six Millersville pitchers. Sinatore was 2-for-4 with a run scored and a career-high five RBI, while OFier was 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBI. Chasanov scored three times, with Burcin and Holmes joining OFier with a pair of runs scored.

Standen threw 94 pitches - the most of his young career - and recorded eight flyouts, three groundouts, and ten strikeouts. Meanwhile, the six Millersville hurlers combined to throw 193 pitches in game three.

Game three occurred because of a 12-2 victory by the hosts in game two. Millersville took advantage of six Bloomsburg miscues as five of the twelve runs scored by the Marauders were unearned.

Redshirt sophomore Jared Marshman (Berwick, Pa./Berwick) got the ball in game two as he looked to capitalize on his gem at West Chester in the quarterfinals last Wednesday. However, a pair of unearned runs by the Marauders in the first inning put the right-hander behind the eight-ball early, and the Huskies could not solve Millersville starter, Jeff Taylor.

Marshman dropped to 4-2 on the year after allowing six runs (three earned) in 4.1 innings. He walked one and struck out two. Senior Ed Herbener (Drums, Pa./MMI Preparatory School) and freshman Matt Vernieri (Barnegat, N.J./Barnegat) closed out the game for Bloomsburg on the mound.

Millersville scored at least one run in every inning except the second and seventh as it built up a 12-0 lead. The Huskies broke up the shutout bid in the eighth on a two-run double from redshirt junior Ben Newbert (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Harriton) against Millersville reliever, Andrew Mayhew.

The Huskies could muster only four hits against Taylor, who improved to 10-1 on the season. The Millersville left-hander walked four and struck out eight in seven scoreless innings.

Five different Huskies had one hit in the opener on Monday - Viggiano, Chasanov, OFier, Sinatore, and Newbert. Reed walked in the opener and then drew three more walks in game three to extend his streak of reaching base at least once to 25 straight games.

Neither game on Monday went the full nine innings as the conference implemented a ten-run rule during postseason play back in 2019.

Bloomsburg, the defending PSAC champion after winning the title in 2019 - the program's first championship in 54 years - will look to defend its crown when it heads to Seton Hill University for a best-of-three series. The Griffins, the top seed in the west, swept Mercyhurst in the semifinals on Sunday to advance to the title series. Opening day is scheduled for Friday, May 21, with game three - if necessary - scheduled for Saturday, May 22.