WILMINGTON, Del. - The Bloomsburg softball team dropped both legs of its season-opening doubleheader to Goldey-Beacom Sunday afternoon. 

The cold weather tempered the Husky (0-2) bats, with the team unable to register a run in the first contest of the season, going to a 1-0 result. Game two saw Bloomsburg muster offensive momentum, scoring the first four runs of game two. The home Lightning (4-0) scored four unanswered runs, including getting the walk-off victory in the bottom of the eighth to sweep both games. 

How It Happened:

Game One:
The first action of the season and blustery conditions were not conducive to success for the Huskies on opening day. As a team, Bloomsburg managed just three hits as it looked to shake off early-season rust. 

Callie Sowers (Irwin, Pa/Hempfield Area) had a solid performance on the mound to open the season, with the lone run coming after a lead-off triple in the first inning by Goldey-Beacom's Mirenda. The Lightning's third basemen scored following a one-out ground out to solidify the score at 1-0.

Taylor Kranzley (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) was the lone player for the Huskies to reach base through the first six innings of game one. The second-team All-PSAC East selection from a season ago singled to open the second inning and reached safely on an error in the fifth, but stout pitching from Goldey-Beacom kept Bloomsburg in check. 

As Sowers continued to battle through her first outing, the Huskies had their best chance to rally in the top of the seventh. Emma Little (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn-Trafford) singled up the middle with two outs to give her team life, staring at two outs. Following a switch on the base paths, Mia Nemeth (Drums, Pa/Marian Catholic) found a hole for a single into right field. However, the game concluded with a heads-up play by the Lightning's defense threw out the lead runner to prevent a comeback attempt.

Game Two:
The Bloomsburg bats turned a corner in game two, showing some spark lacking in the opening contest. The Huskies plated their first two runs of the season off a two-out rally from the third and fourth spot in the lineup. Sarah Yamrick (Fort Myers, Fla./Bishop Verot) got things rolling with a single and advanced on a ground out to get into scoring position. Kranzley and Little followed with back-to-back doubles to put Bloomsburg up 2-0.

The Huskies added to their lead in the fourth inning with another positive sequence. Freshman Allie Wenrich (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin) started off the inning with a single, eventually making her way to third following defensive miscues by Goldey-Beacom. Taylor Welsh (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville) loaded the bases with a walk to load the bases, setting up Bella Culp (Harrisburg, Pa/Central Dauphin) for a two-out, two-RBI single and doubling the lead to 4-0. 

The Lightning showed tremendous resilience, answering in the bottom of the fourth with five hits to knot the game back at 4-4. The game went scoreless for the rest of the planned game, as pitching changes for both sides provided their respective sides with the opportunity to clinch the game.

In the end, Goldey-Beacom stacked its chances by loading the bases in the bottom of the eighth after a two-out single from Josie Straigis (Greensburg, Pa./Greater Latrobe) went without a follow-up. Kelly Eberly (Purcellville, Va/Homeschooled) recorded two outs with two runners on for the Lightning and looked to get out of the inning. Still, the readjustment to live action did not favor the Huskies, as an infield error to load the bases would lead to a walk-off single through the right side to give Goldey-Beacom its second victory of the day.

Numbers of Note:
4 - An area of improvement for the Huskies was its two-out approach at the plate. Bloomsburg scored all four runs Sunday with two outs in the inning. 

0 - The X factor across the two contests was the strong pitching performance of Goldey-Beacom's Caitlyn Burch. Across 11.0 innings facing the six foot right-handed pitcher, the Huskies could not score a run. 

On The Horizon:

The Huskies look to bounce back next weekend at Abe's Invitational, hosted by Lincoln Memorial. Bloomsburg starts play on Saturday, March 1 first taking on Lewis before facing off with the home Railsplitters.