BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – The Bloomsburg baseball team fell to Jefferson in both games of a home doubleheader Sunday at Danny Litwhiler Field on the upper campus of Bloomsburg University.
The Huskies (1-5, 0-0 PSAC East) dropped the first game by a final score of 5-3, then the Rams (2-2, 0-0 CACC) pulled out another 5-3 victory in the second game, which was called after the sixth inning due to darkness.
Anthony Viggiano (Wallingford, Pa./Strath Haven) had a great day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a home run, double, run batted in, and two runs scored in the two games combined.
Carter Chasanov (Magnolia, Del./Polytech) and
Wyatt Metzger (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) also homered in the first game, and
Jonathan LaBarbera (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest),
Cory Blohm (Millersville, Md./Archbishop Spalding) and
Drew Balestrini (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) picked up hits in the second game.
In the first game, Viggiano homered in the second inning to right field to give Bloomsburg an early 1-0 lead. Chasanov then put the Huskies up by two runs after he hit a solo homer to right center field in the bottom of the third inning.
Jefferson would answer in the fourth inning, however, as it scored four runs in the top half to gain its first lead of the game. The Rams scored its first run on a Gabe Silva RBI single, then Silva scored on a Marquise Wood single up the middle. Wood advanced to second during a sacrifice bunt in the next at bat, then he stole third to end up 90 feet from home plate. Alex Gonzalez knocked in Wood on an RBI double, then Gonzalez scored on a Jay Kalieta single to put the rams up 4-2.
In the bottom of the fourth, Bloomsburg tried to cut into the deficit as Metzger would get into scoring position with one out after doubling down the right-field line. He tug up and advanced to third during the next at bat after Viggiano popped up to right field, but he was stranded at third as a groundout ended the inning.
Both teams were held scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings, then Jefferson would add an insurance run in the top of the seventh to make the score 5-2. In the bottom half of the inning, however, Bloomsburg would make things interesting as it would get the game-winning run on base.
The bottom of the seventh started off with a bang as Metzger hit a solo home run to lead off the inning and make it a two-score game. After a strikeout in the next at bat, Blohm reached base after being hit by a pitch.
Drew Balestrini (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) then reached the basepaths in the next at bat on an error. Following another strikeout,
Brady Ebbert (Etters, Pa./Red Land) walked to load the bases and represented the game-winning run at first base as Chasanov entered the batter's box with two outs. On a full count, Chasanov went down swinging as an Anthony Pillari strikeout ended the game.
Pillari picked up a save after getting out of the jam, and Alex Balts earned his first win of the season after going 6.1 strong innings and striking out seven hitters while allowing just four hits – three of which were home runs.
For Bloomsburg,
Nate Baranski (Larksville, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) was charged with the loss. Baranski struck out five in 4.2 innings.
Casey Fitzsimmons (Burlington, N.J./Holy Cross) threw 2.1 innings and allowed just one hit while striking out three batters.
In game two of the doubleheader, the roles were reversed as Jefferson got out to an early lead as it scored three runs across the first two innings to take a 3-0 lead. The Rams then added an insurance run in the top of the fourth, but Bloomsburg was given the chance for a rally in the bottom half of the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, Blohm got a two-out rally going when he knocked in Viggiano to score Bloomsburg's first run of the game. LaBarbera then knocked in
Brandon Ernst (Limerick, Pa./Spring Ford) from the third two make it a 4-2 game, and Balestrini would have an infield single during the next at bat to load the bases.
Alex Ruiz (Lancaster, Pa./McCaskey) was hit by a pitch in the next at bat to make it a 4-3 game, but Ebbert struck out on a full count in the next at bat to end the inning.
Jefferson would add an insurance run in the top of the fifth, and Bloomsburg was held scoreless for the next two innings. The game was then called due to darkness following the conclusion of the sixth inning.
Bloomsburg will be back at home next weekend with a three-game series against Fairmont State (1-6, 0-0 MEC). The series will take place at the Bloomsburg Area High School, and it will begin on Friday with a doubleheader that is scheduled to start at 12:00 PM. The teams are then scheduled to meet again on Saturday for a single game that is also scheduled to start at noon.
