FLORENCE, S.C. - The Bloomsburg University softball team escaped the cold weather of Bloomsburg and headed south to open the 2022 campaign. The Huskies benefited from the change of scenery as they kicked off the season with a 4-3 walk-off win over Mery College. Bloomsburg dropped the second game of the day to host Francis Marion University.
Trailing 3-0 going into the bottom of the sixth, the Huskies struggled early on to get their offense going. Senior
Sammi Starr (Berwick, Pa./Berwick Area) provided the spark the Huskies needed as she drove a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence for her first homer of the season and the first run of the year for the Huskies. Graduate student
Nicolette Ray (Abington, Pa./Abington) followed with a double to deep right center. Sophomore
Kammy Kropinski (Conshohocken, Pa./Plymouth-Whitemarsh) came out to run for Ray and moved to third on a fly ball from sophomore
Alex Iseminger (Everett, Pa./Everett Area). Senior
Danielle Barnes (Coopersburg, Pa./Southern Lehigh) singled up the middle and brought home Kropinski to cut the Mercy lead to one, 3-2. Barnes' single chased the Mercy starting pitcher. Barnes took advantage of a new pitcher in the circle and took second on a wild pitch before moving to third on a passed ball. Senior
Alexis Wetzler (Bellefonte, Pa./Bellefonte Area High School) tied the game at 3-3 as she hit a sacrifice fly to center after a long at bat to bring hom Barnes.
Freshman
Callie Sowers (Irwin, Pa/Hempfield Area) tossed a 1-2-3 seventh inning to keep the game tied and gave the Huskies a chance to walk it off. With another new pitcher in the circle,
Kayleigh Lenner (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) drew a walk with one out on four-straight pitches out of the zone. Senior
Erin DelPierre (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) grounded out to first which allowed Lenner to move into scoring position. Starr took the first pitch she saw and laced a double into center field which brought home Lenner for the 4-3 win.
Mercy jumped out to an early lead as Samantha Franck homered to left center with Shannon Sisco on first to give the Mavericks a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. After a scoreless second for both teams, Mercy added to its lead with a an RBI-single from Bowman to drive home Sisco. The 3-0 lead after three set up the exciting walk-off win for the Huskies.
The Huskies early season offensive struggles continued in the second game of the day as they fell to hosts Francis Marion 8-0. Complete stats will be available later this evening and an updated recap will be provided at that time.
Bloomsburg gets back on the diamond on Sunday when the Huskies face Mercy at 10:00 am and Tusculum University at 2:00 pm to wrap up their season-opening road trip.
