BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – Currently ranked fourth in the Atlantic Region, the Bloomsburg University softball team needed a sweep of East Stroudsburg to solidify its spot in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament. The Huskies took care of business and rolled to a 6-1 game-one victory before timely hitting led BU to an 8-6 win in the nightcap. With the sweep, the Huskies secured the No. 3 seed in the East.
 
East Stroudsburg took the lead 1-0 in the top of the third, but the Huskies answered with two runs in their half of the inning to take the lead for good. Sammi Starr (Berwick, Pa./Berwick Area) tied the game with an RBI double that brought home Kayleigh Lenner (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy). Nicolette Ray (Abington, Pa./Abington) came in clutch with a double to center to bring home Starr and give the Huskies a 2-1 lead.
 
Ray added to the Huskies' lead with a sacrifice fly to left in the bottom of the fifth, once again with Starr coming home, to give Bloomsburg a 3-1 advantage.
 
The Huskies put the game out of reach with three runs in the bottom of the sixth thanks to an RBI double from Emma Little (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn-Trafford) that brought home Danielle Barnes (Coopersburg, Pa./Southern Lehigh) and a two-run double from Lenner that brought around Alexis Wetzler (Bellefonte, Pa./Bellefonte Area High School) and Little.
 
Freshman Callie Sowers (Irwin, Pa/Hempfield Area) was dealing in the circle as she stuck out four and allowed just one unearned run on seven hits. Sowers did not issue a walk in the complete-game win.
 
In the second game, the Huskies had their work cut out for them as they were going up against an undefeated Paige Zigmund in the circle. Bloomsburg got to Zigmund early as they plated three runs in the bottom of the first. Ray laced a single up the middle to bring home Starr and Lenner before Bella Culp (Harrisburg, Pa/Central Dauphin) singled to right field to score Erin DelPierre (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin).

The Warriors answered in the top of the second with three runs to tie the game 3-3. Sowers came out to relieve Kelly Eberly (Purcellville, Va/Homeschooled) in the top of the third and got a 1-2-3 inning to keep the game close.
 
The Huskies took the lead back in the bottom of the third as DelPierre flew out to center to allow Ray to come home from third.
 
The Warrior threatened in the top of the fourth with a pair of two-out singles, but Sowers got a foul out to left to end the inning and maintain the lead.
 
Bloomsburg tacked on two runs in the bottom of the fourth to extend its advantage to 6-3 midway through the contest. Culp led off the frame with a single to center before Little got ahold of the pitch right in her sweet spot and sent over the center field fence for a two-run home run.
 
 The Warriors weren't ready to go quietly and used a pair of home runs in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 6-6 with two innings to play. The Huskies didn't score in their half of the fifth, and the two teams headed into the final innings tied at 6-6.
 
After another 1-2-3 inning from Sowers, the Huskies got some timely hitting to take the lead. Little opened the inning with a double to left, and Rebecca Rossi (Hazleton, Pa./Hazleton Area) came out to run for the catcher. Zigmund got two quick outs, but Rossi moved to third in the process. Starr stayed patient at the plate and worked a walk to put two runners on for Ray. Once again, the graduate student came in clutch for the Huskies as she roped a double down the right field line that brought both runners home and gave BU an 8-6 lead.
 
Sowers was in her grove in the seventh and got a quick pop up to Starr at shortstop for the first out. The Warriors got a runner on from a Husky error, but a foul out to Little behind the plate put the Huskies one out away from the sweep. Sowers ended the game by getting Kaitlyn Caleen to watch the third strike.
 
Sowers picked the win with 5.0 strong innings as she allowed three runs on four hits and one walk while striking out three. She moved to 16-6 on the year.
 
Ray finished the day 4-for-7 with five RBI and one run between the two games, while Little drove in a pair of runs in the second game as she went 2-for-3 at the plate.
 
The Huskies end the regular season with a 25-16 overall record and a 10-6 slate in conference play. They secured the No. 3 seed in the 2022 PSAC Softball Tournament and will face No. 2 Seton Hill in their opening game on Wednesday, May 4, at 12:30 pm at Veterans Park in Quakertown, Pa. A full preview of the tournament will be available early next week.