BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg softball team split its doubleheader stint at Jan Hutchinson Field against Kutztown Sunday afternoon.

The Huskies earned a 6-1 victory in game one, with the offense rattling off six consecutive runs behind another strong effort from Callie Sowers (Irwin, Pa/Hempfield Area). The junior finished the afternoon giving up one run in even innings with 14 strikeouts on the day, reaching the 200-strikeout mark for the second conseutive season. Sowers also moved into sole possession in career strikeouts, sitting at 645. The right hander is 21 from third (Shavaun Fisher, 2008-11 - 666) and 34 behind second place (Ashley Lynn, 2005-08 - 679).

The Golden Bears captured game two 9-1, getting ahead and leading from start to finish.

With the split on Sunday, the Huskies take the season series three games to one.

Bloomsburg is 28-17 heading into the final week of the regular season with a 15-11 mark in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) action. The Golden Bears are 27-18 on the season and are even with the Huskies at 15-11 in the PSAC East.

Game One: 
The first contest of the afternoon had the signs of another great outing from Sowers, with both teams scoreless through the first two innings.

Kutztown struck first in the top of the third capitalizing on a hit-by-pitch and a misplayed double in the outfield to give the visitors an early 1-0 lead. After the runner advanced to third with one out, Sowers neutralized the scoring threat by striking out the next batters faced to keep it a one-run game. 

Bloomsburg wasted no time to respond, taking the lead in the bottom half of the inning. After Alex Iseminger (Everett, Pa./Everett Area) and Bella Culp (Harrisburg, Pa/Central Dauphin) opened the inning with singles to reach second and third, Kayleigh Lenner (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) delivered a critical piece of two-out hitting with a two-RBI single to center field to make it a 2-1 ball game.

The Golden Bears managed to get runners in scoring position in the next three innings, but Sowers and the Huskies' defense prevented a negative impact on the scoreboard.
With Kutztown kept off the board, Bloomsburg's offense was back at work in the fourth inning. Mia Nemeth (Drums, Pa/Marian Catholic) began the frame with a crushed double to the outfield fence before coming around to score on an errant throw by the Golden Bears' pitcher on a sacrifice attempt. Emma Little (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn-Trafford) and Sage Weidlich (Pittston, Pa./Pittston) each recorded sacrifice flies to extend the advantage to four runs, setting Lenner up with another two-out opportunity. The senior came through once more, sneaking a single through the left side of the infield to bring the game to 6-1.

With the ball in her hands in the seventh, Sowers shut the door on comeback hopes for Kutztown. The Irwin, Pa. wrapped up her day the same as she started, by striking out the side with a pair of backward punchouts. 

Game Two: 
The Golden Bears responded in game two by taking hold of the offensive momentum and riding it to a decision in six innings. 

Kutztown got things rolling early with four runs in the first inning and eight through the first three. The Golden Bears led off the game with three consecutive singles, with the third causing a bases-clearing miscue for a 3-0 lead. A RBI triple later in the inning gave the visitors a four-run edge.

In the second, Kutztown rattled off three consecutive hits with two outs to add on two more to make it a 6-0 game before scoring two in the third off a two-run home run in the third to extend its advantage to eight.

Lenner picked up her fourth RBI between the games with a two-out single in the bottom of the third to plate Culp after a one-out walk. With the base knock, Lenner sits in a tie for 10th in program history with 214 hits.

The Golden Bears got the deciding run in the top of the sixth with a solo home run to halt any comeback efforts from the Huskies.

On the Horizon: 
The Huskies host their final home game of the season at Jan Hutchinson Field on Tuesday, April 23, at 2:00 p.m. against Lock Haven.