Softball | 3/15/2025 9:26:00 PM

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. - The Bloomsburg softball team started the weekend with a 2-0 start in a sweep over Lincoln (Pa.) Saturday afternoon.

The Huskies (7-3) opened the day with a nail-biter, a 2-1 result decided in the top of the seventh inning. The battery of Callie Sowers (Irwin, Pa/Hempfield Area) and Emma Little (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn-Trafford) came through when it most mattered, with Little driving in the game-winning run in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly. Sowers went the distance in her fourth win of the season, allowing one run while striking out eight batters.

In game two, Bloomsburg got a better start against the Lions (5-14) by plating five runs in the first inning en route to a 7-0 victory. Sarah Yamrick (Fort Myers, Fla./Bishop Verot) tossed the first complete-game shutout of her collegiate during the second leg. The sophomore kept Lincoln off-balanced all game with just three hits surrendered in the win. Little and freshman Allie Wenrich (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin) were the primary providers, with each player driving in two runs as part of an eventful first inning.

How It Happened:

Game One:
The action on Saturday started with a scoreless back-and-forth. No runs reached home plate for either side due to the efforts of the respective starting pitchers. Despite the appearances, the Huskies threatened to break the game open throughout the opening stretch.

In the first inning, Bloomsburg put itself into its first scoring opportunity of the afternoon with two outs. Taylor Kranzley (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) reached safely with a one-out walk before Josie Straigis (Greensburg, Pa./Greater Latrobe) doubled to put runners on second and third. The Huskies' first call for runs went without an answer as the next batter went down on strikes.

Sowers' day saw a runner reach base for Lincoln in each of the first three innings, with none getting past second base. The senior kept the Lions off the scoreboard in the first and second innings, with a runner on second base and one out on the record. The Irwin, Pa. native kept things under control from the mound, including striking out the final two batters of the fourth inning. 

Bloomsburg's struggles with runners on base and in scoring position continued through the first innings of the day. The Huskies had multiple runners on base with one out or less in the next three innings of game one and still could not find the opening strike to relieve the team. In those three innings, Bloomsburg was 0-for-7 in the prominent run-scoring opportunities. 

The fifth inning was the first sign of life for both offenses, as the Huskies found their way first on the scoreboard. Wenrich continued to showcase a power-filled and reliable bat in the early stages of her Bloomsburg career. The freshman launched her team-leading third home run of the season to put the Huskies up 1-0. Lincoln wasted little time responding, beginning its half of the fifth with a leadoff double before a sacrifice bunt set up a two-out run-scoring chance to tie the game at 1-1 off an RBI single. 

Both teams followed with scoreless sixths before the drama mounted in the seventh inning. Mia Nemeth (Drums, Pa/Marian Catholic) provided a needed jolt with a leadoff single. Bloomsburg turned to the legs of freshman Emma Holmes (Mount Wolf, Pa./Northeastern Senior) on the base paths, with the first-year outfielder making her way to second on a sacrifice bunt from Straigis and heads-up baserunning following a walk from Wenrich. Little drove in the deciding run with a fly ball to the outfield to send the speedy Holmes off to the races and give the Huskies the lead. 

The Lions did not back down with the game on the line in the bottom of the seventh. Lincoln opened the inning with a leadoff walk and saw the runner eventually get to second on a wild pitch. The Lions got the hit they were looking for with a runner in scoring position, but the Bloomsburg outfield kept the runner from rounding third. The game rested on the shoulders, and the senior delivered, getting the next two batters out on weak contact to her defense to secure her fourth win of the season.

Game Two:
The Huskies got a much-needed and improved start to game two. Bloomsburg opened with five runs and started with the first five batters recording hits. Bella Culp (Harrisburg, Pa/Central Dauphin) began the second contest with a leadoff double and made her way to third with a single from Kranzley. Nemeth began this scoring with an RBI single to left field. Wenrich transfered her positive momentum from game one into game two with a two-run double to left to grow the early advantage to 3-0. The freshman finished 3-for-3 with a walk and two steals in game two. Little left an emphatic mark on the inning with her first home run of the season to make it 5-0. The Huskies ended the inning with runs on the bases, with the last out of the inning coming with the bases loaded.

Yamrick cruised through most of her outing and remained calm with runners aboard. The sophomore did not allow a hit until the third inning, but Lincoln managed a runner on in the first three innings. The pitcher kept her poise, stopping the Lions from mustering any major offensive. 

Bloomsburg's cushion for the second game grew to seven with a run in the second and fourth innings. Wenrich singled and stole second in the second inning to allow Yamrick and the Huskies to take advantage of an error from Lincoln's pitcher to drive in a run. In the fourth, Wenrich's baserunning chops once more proved beneficial, this time stealing second following a two-out walk to set up Gianna Gombeda (Hazleton, Pa./Hazleton) for an RBI single. 

The Lions had multiple runners aboard just once in the second game, doing so in the bottom of the fourth. Lincoln drew a one-out walk and recorded a two-out single to place runners on first and second with two outs in the frame. Yamrick wrapped up the inning with a flyout to launch a strong close to the day. The sophomore gave up just one hit in her final three innings of work, showing complete control over the Lions' lineup with help from her defense. Yamrick sent Bloomsburg home with the second win by sending the final Lincoln batter down looking on strikes.

Numbers of Note
11 - While Bloomsburg recorded both wins on Saturday, several opportunities for more insurance runs remained stranded on the bases across the two games. The Huskies finished both contests with 11 runners left on base (22 total).

3 - The newest wrinkle and development in the Bloomsburg lineup is the emergence of Wenrich in the outfield. Stepping into a starting role, the Central Dauphin career home-run record holder is the Huskies' team leader in home runs with three in her first eight collegiate games. 

19 - The Bloomsburg lineup is beginning to see the ball better with more reps as the season progresses. The Huskies have drawn 19 walks in their last four games after having nine through their first six.

On The Horizon:
The Huskies wrap up their weekend road trip on Sunday, March 16, with a morning matchup against Bowie State scheduled for a 10:00 a.m. first pitch.