BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg softball team shook off a three-game skip with an emphatic doubleheader sweep over Shippensburg to wrap up the first week of action in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).

The Huskies (12-6, 2-2 PSAC East) recovered after a misstep to begin conference action on Friday with a tremendous display to revitalize the team's spirits. Bloomsburg scored 29 runs on 29 hits while drawing nine walks and three hit-by-pitches in the 10 innings.

The Huskies never turned their back in game one, plating eight runs in the second inning en route to a 13-2 victory. All nine members of the Bloomsburg lineup reached base safely in the inning. Sarah Yamrick (Fort Myers, Fla./Bishop Verot) got the ball in game one and kept the Huskies moving forward, tossing the full 5.0 innings while giving up two earned runs on five hits and two walks with six strikeouts.

Bloomsburg's statement continued into game two with a 16-2 five-inning decision to wrap up the day. The Huskies scored all 16 runs in the first three innings of the contest, totaling 14 in the second and third frames for the win. Kelly Eberly (Purcellville, Va/Homeschooled) secured the victory in the second leg, going the full five innings and matching her throwing mate in runs allowed while punching out four.

How It Happened:

Game One:
After both teams ended the first inning scoreless with a runner on second, Bloomsburg entrenched itself as the decision-maker in the game. Yamrick set up her lineup with a comfortable second inning, unleashing the potency within. 

Walks from Taylor Kranzley (Northampton, Pa./Northampton) and Malauni Frost (Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg) and an infield dribbler from Allie Wenrich (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin) set the Huskies up with the bases loaded and one out. Sage Weidlich (Pittston, Pa./Pittston) ate a full-count pitch to plate the first run in and start a chain reaction. Heads up base running from Bella Culp (Harrisburg, Pa/Central Dauphin) froze the Shippensburg defender at first base enough to delay the throw home and allow the Bloomsburg shortstop to reach safely while driving in a run. Yamrick helped her cause in her next at-bat with a two-run single up the middle of the infield before Emma Little (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn-Trafford) repeated the process with a single for one run to make it 5-0.

After Mia Nemeth (Drums, Pa/Marian Catholic) loaded the bases again with a four-pitch walk, Kranzley found herself back at the plate and delivered an RBI single in her second plate appearance of the inning. Carly Wywoda (Dupont, Pa./Holy Cross) was the next to chip in for the Huskies, ripping a line drive off the glove of the Raiders' third baseman to plate two more and cap off the inning with an 8-0 advantage. 

Shippensburg looked to will its way back into the contest, using back-to-back singles to open the third inning and a sacrifice bunt to set up a threatening situation for the visitors. The Raiders delivered in the next at-bat, sneaking a single through the right side of the infield to cut the deficit to 6-2. With just the batter and a lone runner at first to focus on, Yamrick minimized the damage by retiring the next two batters. The sophomore regained her composure with a strikeout following the RBI base hit and got some help from her defense on a sharply hit ground ball that led to a 5-3 putout between Frost and Taylor Welsh (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville).

Bloomsburg did not let Shippensburg's attempts to get back into the game impact what was being done at the plate, tacking on another four to make it a 10-run edge. The Huskies took advantage of the long ball in the bottom of the third, with Little and Nemeth going back-to-back before Wywoda launched her first as a Husky over the fence in center field to make it 12-2. 

Bloomsburg added one more run in the bottom of the fourth to finalize the scoring. Yamrick put a quick close to the game with a seven-pitch fifth inning, earning the sophomore's fourth win of the season.

Game Two:
The party did not stop for the Huskies but was delayed, with the Raiders finding their way on the scoreboard first to open game two. Shippensburg led off the first inning with a bunt single and successfully moved the runner over with a weakly-hit ground ball. A two-strike double that found its way into right field plated the first run for the Raiders to give the visitors some light. A fielder's choice in the next at-bat allowed Shippensburg to put runners on the corners with still one out. Following a mound visit, Eberly found respite in her abilities, getting the next batter to swing through strike three before getting the final out of the inning on a first-pitch fly ball to center field. 

The Huskies picked up their starter in the bottom half of the first frame, tying and eventually giving Eberly the lead for the remainder of her Saturday outing. With runners on second and third, Nemeth continued making good use of her bat with an RBI single to tie the game at 1-1. Kranzley capitalized on her opportunity with a runner in scoring position with an RBI single to move the contest to 2-1. 

As Eberly settled nicely into her outing, going the next three innings allowing just one base runner and giving up zero runs, Bloomsburg continued to pour on the offense with 14 runs in the next two innings. The Huskies loaded the bases with one out to provide ample opportunity to the heart of the batting order. Little and Nemeth each recorded RBI singles to extend the Bloomsburg lead to 5-1. After Kranzley loaded the bases, the second out went up on the scoreboard, with Bloomsburg remaining active in the box. The Huskies finished with three more RBI singles, receiving contributions from Josie Straigis (Greensburg, Pa./Greater Latrobe), Reagan Wiest (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) and Culp to put plate five more runs and set up a 10-1 advantage. 

The lead continued to grow for Bloomsburg into the third inning. Macey Fisher (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin) started the scoring with an RBI single before passing off the torch to Culp with one of her own. The consistent bases-loaded approach, with Yamrick and Little each adding to score with free bases. Nemeth capped off an explosive offensive day with a two-run RBI double to center field to make it a 16-1 ball game. 

The Raiders tacked on one run in the top of the fifth with no impact on the final result. Bloomsburg matched its largest victory of the season with the 14-run decision in game two. 

On a standout day as a team, several individuals helped the cause and were consistent across both contests. Locking down the third and fourth spots in the lineup, Little and Nemeth provided the pop and timely bats when called upon. The senior tandem was a combined 10-of-13 (.769) with eight runs scored, 12 runs batted in, two home runs and two doubles. Yamrick at the plate scored four runs herself while going 4-for-4 at the plate with three RBI and three walks.

Numbers of Note
29 - The Huskies were powered on Saturday by an unmatched offensive output. Across the two games, Bloomsburg scored 29 runs, the first time recording double-digit runs since the end of the 2023 season and the most combined in a doubleheader since posting 29 in an April 22 doubleheader against Mansfield in 2022.

13 - With three home runs in game one on Saturday, the Huskies' total for the season moves to 13. Bloomsburg has over half of the total from their previous two seasons after recording 20 (2024) and 22 (2023) in those years.

3.00 - The Huskies' pitching has come in a pack this year, with the team getting reliable contributions from multiple arms. All three of Bloomsburg's qualified pitchers possess an earned run average of less than 3.00 this season. The Huskies are just one of three teams in the conference with that note on their ledger.

On The Horizon:
The Huskies wrap up their conference-opening homestand on Tuesday, March 25, at 2:00 p.m. in a matchup against Mansfield.