WILSON, N.C. – The bats began to heat up for Bloomsburg baseball in the second game of the season-opening doubleheader against Barton, but the Bulldogs hung on to sweep the twin bill Saturday. Barton took the first game 13-3 before winning 11-9 in the night cap.
In the first game, the Huskies found themselves down 3-0 early after Barton plated a run in the second and two more in the third inning. After a scoreless fourth for both teams, the Huskies got on the board with three runs in the top of the fifth.
Brady Ebbert (Etters, Pa./Red Land) scored the first run of the season for Bloomsburg with his second hit of the season as he drove a 0-1 pitch over the right field fence.
Wyatt Metzger (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) went back-to-back with Ebbert and sent a 2-1 pitch over the left center fence to cut the lead to 3-2. With two outs in the frame,
Jonathan LaBarbera (Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest) walked, and
Dansby Keenan (Cleveland Heights, Oh./Benedictine) reached on an infield single to put two runners on.
Ryan Flury (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) drove his 1-0 pitch up the middle to bring home LaBabera and tie the game at 3-3. Flury's single chased the Barton starting pitcher from the game and
Brady Gibble (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson) drew a walk from his replacement to load the bases. AJ Campbell was able to get out of the jam, however, and the game remain tied.
Barton immediately answered with five runs in the bottom of the fifth to take an 8-3 lead and added five more in the bottom of the seventh to secure the 13-3 win.
Metzger went 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored in the first game while Ebbert and Keenan each collected a pair of hits.
Owen Wilhide (York, Pa/Northeastern) took the loss on the mound for the Huskies after going 0.1 of an inning with three runs allowed.
Matt Vernieri (Barnegat, N.J./Barnegat) pitched 2.0 innings and led the team with four strike outs.
The Bulldogs built a quick lead in the second game with a pair of runs in the first and third inning. The Huskies erased most of the lead in the top of the fourth with three runs on one swing of the bat. Metzger led off the frame with a double to right center and
Josh Wilson (Clinton, Md./Bishop McNamara) singled to center to put the first two Huskies on base. After a groundout for the first out of the inning, Keenan took the first pitch he saw over the first field fence to cut the lead to 4-3.
The Bulldogs answered with five runs in the bottom of the fourth to push their lead to 9-3. The Huskies continued to chip away and plated two more in the top of the fifth. Metzger doubled down the left field line to bring home
Jeremy Cawley (Duryea, Pa./Pittston Area) before Wilson doubled to bring Metzger around and cut the lead to 9-5.
Barton got an insurance run in the seventh and eighth to push its lead to 11-5 going into the final frame. The Huskies turned up the heat in the top of the ninth with four runs to cut the lead to 11-9 but ran out of outs to complete the comeback. Metzger reached on an error by the right fielder which brought home Cawley and
Jacob Reifer (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia Area) before Wilson singled to bring Ebbert home. LaBarbera hit a sac fly to right to bring home Metzger and cut the lead to 11-9. Keenan walked to keep the inning going and
Eli Riley (Harrisburg, Pa./Mercersburg Academy) was hit by a pitch to put two runners on. The Barton relief pitcher was able to close the door with a strikeout and Barton hung on for the 11-9 win.
Metzger continued his hot start to the season with a 3-for-5 game in the night cap with three runs and three RBI. Wilson went 4-for-5 in his second start for the Huskies with two RBI and a run scored. Keenan drove in three runs and scored once after going 1-for-3 with a pair of walks.
Cole Coolbaugh (Wyoming, Pa./Wyoming Area) took the loss for Bloomsburg after going 3.2 innings with eight runs on four hits and four walks. He struck out one.
James Scott (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central Regional) closed out the last 2.1 innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits and two walks and led the team with two strike outs.
The Huskies are back on the diamond at 1:00 p.m. today, Sunday, February 18 against Barton College to close out the three-game series.
