BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg softball team continued its conference campaign Sunday afternoon, exchanging a pair of games with Shepherd. 

The Huskies captured game one by a score of 5-1, led by the tandem of Callie Sowers (Irwin, Pa/Hempfield Area) from the bump and Josie Straigis (Greensburg, Pa./Greater Latrobe) from the box. Sowers pitched her 11th complete game of the season, giving up six hits and two walks while striking out nine. Straigis went 3-for-6 across the doubleheader, hitting her second home run in conference play and tacking on three more RBI.

The Rams responded in game two with a 5-1 decision of their own, taking an aggressive approach at the plate. Bloomsburg did score early following a lead-off triple in the first from Bella Culp (Harrisburg, Pa/Central Dauphin), but as a team, mustered one more hit in the contest.
The Huskies now sit with an overall record of 13-8 with a 2-2 mark in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. Shepherd holds an even 12-12 record and is 2-4 in the PSAC.

Game One: 
Sowers got things off to a roaring start, striking out the side to steer the momentum in Bloomsburg's favor.

Sage Weidlich (Pittston, Pa./Pittston) and Sarah Yamrick (Fort Myers, Fla./Bishop Verot) recorded back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second base with one out. After the Rams recorded the second out, Straigis continued her strong start to conference play to make it a 1-0 game. The Huskies would get one more to load the bases but could not add to their total.

Bloomsburg would roll through the next two innings, with Sowers notching another two punchouts in the second while getting some help from the defense with a quick-turned double play in the third.

Straigis would help the Huskies' cause in the bottom of the third inning. After Kayleigh Lenner (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) reached on an error, the Greensburg, Pa. native stepped up to the plate and delivered a towering shot over the fence in left field to grow the margin to 3-0.

Both teams cruised through the fourth innings as Sowers faced some resistance in the top half of the fifth inning. Two of the first three batters of the inning successfully reached for Shepherd, putting runners on first and second with one out. The Huskies looked to turn two, but the runner ran into Taylor Kranzley (Northampton, Pa./Northampton), leading to an interference call. After a walk loaded the bases, the junior from Irwin, Pa., got the next batter to fly out and keep the visitors off the scoreboard. 

The Rams got one back in the top of the sixth with a solo home run to bring the score to 3-1 before responding later in the inning to put the game out of reach. Kranzley got things started with a single into left center. Culp recorded her first triple of the season, bringing home Kranzley to bring the score to 4-1. With the third consecutive hit of the inning, Weidlich singled into center for Bloomsburg's fifth run.

Sowers finished off game one with another three strikeouts to pick up her 10th victory of the season.

Game Two: 
The Huskies looked to carry over the success from game one into the second bit of action of the day and managed to get off to a quick start. 

In the first, Shepherd recorded three singles but could not find an avenue to score. Weidlich fielded the third single and threw a perfect ball to catcher Gianna Gombeda (Hazleton, Pa./Hazleton) for a throw-and-tag at home for the final out of the inning.

From the lead-off spot, Culp once again provided an early spark for the Bloomsburg lineup. The Huskies' shortstop hammered a triple in the gap in the right center to begin the game with a bang. Weidlich followed up the hit by putting the ball in play, allowing Culp to advance 60 feet and make it 1-0.

The Rams used strategic small-ball efforts to tie the game in the top of the second, using an infield single to plate the tying runner. Starter Kelly Eberly (Purcellville, Va/Homeschooled) would keep the score at 1-1, stranding a pair of runners on the bases. 

Bloomsburg looked in position to add to its total in the bottom portion of the second following a single and walk to open the inning. Shepherd's Madelayne escaped the jam by recording three consecutive outs to keep her team in the game.

The Huskies would fall behind in the third as the Rams made it a 2-1 contest. After back-to-back singles put runners on the corners, the visitors pulled off a successful squeeze play for run and base hit. Eberly again escaped the inning with minimal damage despite Shepherd loading the bases. 

Eberly maintained the margin for as long as possible before the Rams finally managed to break through with a three-run fifth inning to bring the score to 5-1.

Lyndsey Reinoehl (Shenandoah Heights, Pa./Marian Catholic) provided two scoreless innings of work for Bloomsburg out of the bullpen, giving up one hit and one walk while striking out two.

On the Horizon: 
The Huskies take on their first road challenge in conference play with a pair of games against Mansfield on Tuesday, March 26, beginning at 2:00 p.m.