SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. - The Bloomsburg softball team began its second half of the conference slate with a series split on the road against Shepherd.

The games between the Huskies (19-13, 9-9 PSAC East) and the Rams (17-16-1, 13-8-1 PSAC East) were decided in both legs by respective, strong pitching performances. Shepherd got the better of game one, 1-0, as play in the face of loaded bases determined the overall outcome. Bloomsburg learned from its start and put three runs on the scoreboard in the first to an eventual 4-0 victory.

Callie Sowers (Irwin, Pa/Hempfield Area) provided the leverage for game two, tossing her third complete game shutout of the season. The senior gave up just two hits and two walks to seven strikeouts. Sowers added an inning of relief in game two with a pair of punchouts. Mia Nemeth (Drums, Pa/Marian Catholic) was the lone Husky to register a hit in both contests, going 3-for-7 (.429) with a double, an RBI and a run scored.

How It Happened:

Game One:
Bloomsburg had its chances throughout the opening game to seize momentum on the day in search of a sweep. The Huskies began the first inning of game one with a leadoff walk from Bella Culp (Harrisburg, Pa/Central Dauphin) before Nemeth put runners on the corners with a one-out single. Emma Little (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn-Trafford) was hit by a pitch in her first plate appearance, juicing the bases for Bloomsburg. The Huskies could not capitalize on the opportunity, with Shepherd able to escape the inning without a run crossing home plate.

The wiggle room was all the hosts needed on the day, finding any means necessary to get a run in the first inning. With the bases loaded, the Rams' patience at the plate paid dividends with a two-out walk to bring in the lone run in the game.

Bloomsburg managed to get a runner on second in the next two innings, but the two-out hitting did not come to fruition in either frame to maintain a 1-0 score. As Shepherd continued its trend of limited contact and free passes, the Huskies kept fighting to take a final, decisive shot at the Rams. Bloomsburg managed to load the bases once more at the top of the fifth. With two outs, a first-pitch swing prevented a response from the Huskies and allowed Shepherd to retire the final seven batters, in order, to take game one.

Game Two:
Bloomsburg started game two with its best foot forward, plating three runs in the first for an early 3-0 advantage. The Huskies' first four batters of the ball game reached safely, going 3-for-3 and driving in two runs. Culp repeated with a game-opening walk, scoring on a double to the wall in left field from Sarah Yamrick (Fort Myers, Fla./Bishop Verot). Yamrick came in and scored off a single from Nemeth that had the right fielder twisted up in the gap. Little doubled to deep center to put two runners in scoring position before a soaring throw on a fielder's choice allowed Nemeth to score from third and make a three-run advantage. 

Sowers was locked in from her opening pitch, giving up just one hit and one walk through the first five innings of her start. The senior had the Rams off balance in a bevy of ways, from numerous incidences of weak contact early in the count to deep-count strikeouts.

The right-hander's lone scare on Sunday's game came in the bottom of the sixth inning following an eight-pitch walk. Sowers got the first two outs of the inning on three pitches before a two-out single to center field, giving Shepherd runners on the corners. Bloomsburg got out of the inning on a fly ball to right field, featuring a nice snag from Allie Wenrich (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin) to preserve the shutout. 

The Huskies tacked on an insurance run to help their cause in the top of the seventh. Little notched her second double of the game to get the ball rolling. Wenrich walked in the following at-bat, as both runners would move into scoring position after a wild pitch from the Rams' relief arm. Pinch runner Grace Baker (Richboro, Pa./Quakertown) eventually tagged up on a sacrifice fly from Josie Straigis (Greensburg, Pa./Greater Latrobe) to increase Bloomsburg's edge to four.

Sowers made quick work of the seventh inning, retiring the side on nine pitches, including the final two batters of the afternoon down swinging. The senior had an efficient day on the mound, getting through the seven innings on 90 pitches to grab win 10 on the season. 

Numbers of Note: 
803 - With nine total strikeouts across eight innings pitched, Sowers became the second player in program history to record 800 strikeouts in a career. With 803 in her career, the senior is tied for the program record. 

19 - The Huskies finished Sunday's doubleheader with a total of 19 runners left on base, including eight in game one and 11 in game two. 14 of those base runners for Bloomsburg were in scoring position.

On the Horizon: 
The Bloomsburg softball team plays its third of four consecutive doubleheaders on the road, taking on Mansfield on Tuesday, April 15, at 2:00 p.m.