PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Bloomsburg University baseball team opened up its regular season by splitting a doubleheader at University of the Sciences on Sunday.
The Huskies rode an early lead in the first game to ultimately win the contest 11-4 but fell in game two by a final tally of 6-0.
Kyle OFier (Pittston Township, Pa./Pittston Area) led Bloomsburg's offensive charge in game one as he went 2-4 from the plate with three runs batted in and two runs scored. Chase Chasanov, Jared Burcin (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) and Anthony Viggiano (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven) each added two RBI apiece and helped the Huskies jump out to their early lead.
Bloomsburg put up four runs in the top of the first inning with the first coming off a Brandon Ernst (Limerick, Pa./Spring Ford) single that scored Chasanov. Viggiano and Jonathan Labarbera (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) knocked in the next two runs on sacrifice flies and Ernst would score the team's fourth run by crossing home plate on a passed ball.
University of the Sciences responded with a run in the bottom of the third, but Bloomsburg answered with a two-run fourth inning to extend its lead. The Huskies then added three more runs in the sixth that were ultimately negated by the Devils scoring three runs in the bottom-half of the inning. OFier then added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh on a two-run single to make the game 11-4.
Jared Marshman (Berwick, Pa./Berwick) earned the win on the mound by allowing just one earned run in 5.1 innings and striking out seven hitters. The redshirt junior allowed six hits and did not surrender a walk.
The story of game two was the performance on the mound by University of the Sciences starting pitcher Justin Derk, who allowed just one hit and one walk through five innings of play and held Bloomsburg scoreless. Chris Brown pitched two innings in relief and allowed one hit while walking three hitters, but the right-handed pitcher continued to hold the Huskies scoreless. The Devils scored one run in the second inning, had three runs in the third and added one run in the fourth and sixth innings to take a 6-0 win.
Chasanov went 1-3 in game two to finish the day 3-7. Adam Gates (Swedesboro, N.J./Gloucester Catholic) had a double in the top of the seventh for the team's only other hit. Jake Reed (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) got on base twice by drawing a pair of walks. Michael Stranden was charged with the loss.
The Huskies will host University of the Sciences for a doubleheader Monday afternoon. The games will be played at Bloomsburg Area High School and begin at noon.
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