BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg softball team split its doubleheader matchup on a senior day Saturday afternoon against Millersville.
The Huskies cruised to a 5-1 victory in game one behind a strong start from
Callie Sowers (Irwin, Pa/Hempfield Area) on the bump. The junior tossed her 15th complete game of the season, striking out eight batters while giving up four hits, two walks and hitting two.
In game two, the Marauders pulled out in front early and found just enough offense to come away with a decision in game two.
Bloomsburg moves to 18-11 on the season with a 7-5 record in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division. Millersville has a 15-14 record overall, with a 6-6 mark in conference play.
Game One:
The Huskies came up with timely pitting while capitalizing on several mistakes from the Marauders to come away with the win.
Bloomsburg opened the scoring early in the first with a one-out, two-RBI double from
Taylor Kranzley (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) to grab a 2-0 advantage on a ball launched to the center-field wall.
Millersville cut the Huskies' lead to one following a sacrifice fly in the top half of the third inning to make it a 2-1 ball game.
Sarah Yamrick (Fort Myers, Fla./Bishop Verot) responded with a single into the outfield that caught the Marauders' right fielder amiss to bring the edge to 3-1.
Sowers retired eight consecutive batters from the fourth through the sixth to keep momentum in Bloomsburg's favor throughout the latter stages of the opening contest.
Behind reliable pitching, the Huskies tacked one run in the fourth and fifth innings to clinch the decision.
Mia Nemeth (Drums, Pa/Marian Catholic) hit her first home run of the season over the fence in left field in the fourth before Yamrick delivered with another timely single to bring the lead to 5-1 for good.
Despite two runners reaching in the ninth, Sowers pitched around any potential trouble to pick up her 13th win of the season.
Game Two:
The second contest of the afternoon started scoreless through the first two innings, with both sides stranding a runner in scoring position in the second.
Millersville struck first with a three-run third to grab its first lead of the day. That lead grew to 4-0 following the fourth as the Marauders added on another run.
Bloomsburg found its swing in the fifth to cut the deficit to one. All three runs came with two outs as Nemeth kicked off the rally with a walk before infield miscommunication from Millersville allowed two runners to get into scoring position.
Bella Culp (Harrisburg, Pa/Central Dauphin) found space between the infield and outfield as the ball rolled to the fence for a two-run triple.
Sage Weidlich (Pittston, Pa./Pittston) capped off the scoring with a single down the right-field line to make it a 4-3 game.
After a scoreless sixth, the Marauders got one more to grow their lead to 5-3, with the Huskies having one final chance to get back into the game. Bloomsburg would get the tying run up to the plate with two outs but could not create the chances for the tie or the win.
On the Horizon:
The Huskies are on the road for another PSAC doubleheader at Lock Haven on Sunday, April 7, with the first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
