CHARLESTON, W. Va. – The Bloomsburg University baseball team saw its postseason magic run out on a cold and rainy Saturday afternoon as the Huskies dropped a 14-8 decision at the hands of the University of Charleston in the NCAA Atlantic Regional from the Welch Athletic Complex. Bloomsburg finishes the year with a 24-18 overall record, while Charleston advances to play Millersville on Saturday night and improves to 33-12 on the year.

Bloomsburg's resiliency and never-say-die mantra nearly came to the forefront again on Saturday, as Charleston built a 9-2 advantage after four-and-a-half innings before the Huskies began to chip away, eventually pulling to within two, 10-8, after seven. But, a four-run eighth inning for the Golden Eagles proved to be too much to overcome as the Huskies' improbable playoff run came to a close.

Senior JJ Spehrley (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville Area) got the start for the Huskies and, despite allowing eight baserunners through the first three innings, did a spectacular job limiting the damage as the Golden Eagles could muster only an unearned run in the top of the first, during the stretch, to take a 1-0 lead.

A leadoff walk to Colby Johnson to start the ballgame proved to be costly. After reaching, Johnson stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error during the attempted steal. He later scored on an RBI single from Bryce Toussaint for the inning's lone run.

Charleston then loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the second on a pair of walks and an error as it threatened to extend its lead. But, Spehrley struck out Tyler Dellerman to end the inning, keeping the Charleston lead at 1-0.

Bloomsburg, meanwhile, had just one baserunner through the first two innings against Charleston starter Colt Webb. However, the Huskies struck for a pair of runs in the bottom of the third to take a 2-1 advantage.

Senior Chad Cooperman (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury) and redshirt junior Jake Reed (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) drew back-to-back walks to start the inning. Redshirt sophomore Anthony Viggiano (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven) sacrificed them to second and third with one out, and, two batters later, redshirt junior Kyle OFier (Pittston Township, Pa./Pittston Area) walked to load the bases with two outs. Senior Gianni Sinatore (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) followed by lifting a shallow fly ball to left-center that dropped in to bring home both Cooperman and Reed. It was the first hit of the ballgame for the Huskies.

Charleston scratched across another unearned run in the top of the fourth to tie the game at 2-2. The Golden Eagles took advantage of a walk, a stolen base, and an error to put runners at the corners with nobody out against Spehrley. The right-hander struck out Jesse Elliott for the first out of the inning but allowed a sacrifice fly to deep left off the bat of Johnson to plate the inning's only run.

Things unraveled for the Huskies in the top of the fifth as the Golden Eagles sent ten batters to the plate and scored seven runs on seven hits against four different pitchers to take a 9-2 advantage. Spehrley started the inning and allowed a leadoff home run to Dellerman and a bunt single to Drew Hefner before exiting for freshman Dylan Lubinski (Levittown, Pa./Pennsbury). Redshirt freshmen Nate Baranski (Larksville, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) and Logan Hile (Winfield, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) also threw during the inning for Bloomsburg, with Hayden Cartt's grand slam being the big blow, offensively, for the Golden Eagles.

But, the Huskies began to chip away at the lead as they responded with four runs in the home half of the inning to pull to within three, 9-6.

Reed led off the fifth with a walk and, two batters later, advanced to second on a single from redshirt junior Carter Chasanov (Magnolia, Del./Polytech). OFier then loaded the bases with a single back up the middle, which chased Webb from the game. Owen MacNeil came on for the Golden Eagles and retired the first batter he faced before redshirt junior Ben Newbert (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Harriton) launched a double off the base off the left-field fence to drive home Reed and Chasanov to make the score, 9-4. Senior Cole Swiger (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) followed with a two-run single to plate OFier and Newbert, cutting further into the Charleston lead.

After a quiet sixth inning for both teams, Charleston tacked on a run in the top of the seventh against senior Ed Herbener (Drums, Pa./MMI Preparatory School), who pitched a perfect sixth, to take a 10-6 advantage. But, the Huskies answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning as Bloomsburg trimmed the Charleston margin to 10-8.

Chasanov led off the seventh with a double down the left-field line, and, two batters later, Sinatore ripped one in the same spot to drive home Chasanov for the first run of the inning. Jacob Kaiser was summoned from the pen for Charleston and retired the first batter he faced before Swiger brought the Huskies to within two with an RBI single that scored Sinatore.

Charleston, however, scored four times in the top of the eighth to take a 14-8 lead. Herbener could not escape as he pitched to four batters in the inning before giving way to freshman Matt Vernieri (Barnegat, N.J./Barnegat) who allowed two baserunners before closing out the frame. After a quiet bottom of the eighth for the Huskies, Vernieri pitched in-and-out of trouble in the top of the ninth to keep Bloomsburg within six.

The Huskies made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth against Kaiser as it loaded the bases with two outs on a walk to Sinatore, a hit by pitch to Swiger, and a walk to freshman Wyatt Metzger (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area). However, Kaiser got the final out of the inning on a fly ball to right field to end the game.

Spehrley suffered the loss for the Huskies as he dropped to 2-2 on the season. Lubinski pitched to two batters in the fifth, while Baranski and Hile each pitched to three in the fifth inning. Herbener struck out three in two-plus innings of work while Vernieri pitched two scoreless innings, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out three.

MacNeil got the win in relief for Charleston while Kaiser picked up his first save of the season. Webb went four and one-third innings and allowed five runs on three hits, five walks, and three strikeouts in a no-decision.

Bloomsburg finished with ten hits. Swiger and Sinatore each had a pair of hits, and each drove in three runs to pace the Huskies' offense. Chasanov also had two hits and scored twice in the loss. Charleston, meanwhile, finished with 20 hits against six Bloomsburg pitchers.

The Huskies battled through numerous injuries throughout the year – especially in the pitching staff – and literally limped into this year's postseason. Bloomsburg, however, made a valiant run through the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) tournament, getting a different hero, seemingly, every day to capture its second consecutive conference title and the automatic berth into the NCAA tournament. The Huskies defeated West Chester in the quarterfinals, Millersville in the semifinals, and Seton Hill in the finals to claim the championship.

Bloomsburg won five out of seven games during the conference playoffs – all on the road – and won four of its five games to the title when facing elimination. It was the fifth conference crown in the program's history.