Bloomsburg Athletics

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – The Bloomsburg baseball team continued its playoff push as it picked up a pair of crucial wins in its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) doubleheader against Mansfield at Danny Litwhiler Field on Thursday afternoon.
 
Bloomsburg (26-18, 13-13 PSAC East) battled Mansfield (12-34, 3-23) and the weather on a cold, rainy afternoon as they down the Mountaineers to inch closer to its first PSAC playoff berth since 2021.
 
Nathan Kress (Lansdale, Pa./La Salle College H.S.) walked off game one in extra innings by launching two-run home run onto the hill beyond the right field wall. The Lansdale native wasn't done there as he fired another homer to the same spot in the nightcap.
 
Grant Russo (Sugarloaf, Pa./Hazleton Area) went 4-for-6 on the day, highlighted by an RBI-triple in game one. Overall, all but one member of the Huskies' hitters recorded multiple hits on the day.
 
Game One – Bloomsburg 11, Mansfield 9 (8 innings)
 
Justin Weaver (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville) got the offensive started in the first inning for the maroon and gold on a two-out double to centerfield. After a walk to Drew Balestrini (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy), Anthony Trommer (Trevose, Pa./Neshaminy) lined a triple down the right field line to bring in a pair of runs.
 
The Mountaineers responded in the top of the second with four consecutive singles to gain a 3-2 lead.
 
Bloomsburg got back on the board in the fourth as a leadoff single from Matt Freda (Lafayette, N.J./High Point Regional) set up Dylan Hirsh (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury) for an eventual RBI-double to tie the game. Russo then triples down the right field line to score Hirsh and regain the lead. Jace Jarmon (Millsboro, Del./Sussex Central) made it 5-3 with an RBI-single before Weaver reached with a single of his own.
 
Balestrini tallied the second triple of the inning, driving a ball high onto the hill in right center to bring in a pair of runs and advance the Bloomsburg lead to 7-3.
 
A five-run fifth inning for Mansfield gave the visitors the lead once more at 8-7.
 
Russo and Jarmon led off the bottom of the sixth with back-to-back walks before the pair advanced on a sacrifice bunt from Weaver. Balestrini tied the game on sacrifice fly before a balk sent Jarmon across the plate to put Bloomsburg ahead 9-8.
 
Mansfield tied the game in the seventh and held off the Huskies in the bottom of the frame to force extra innings.
 
The Huskies stood tall defensively in the eighth, as a Freda turned a double play to end the inning and send the maroon and gold back to the plate.
 
Jarmon's second hit of the contest put a baserunner on for Kress' first at-bat of the day. The redshirt-sophomore made the most of his opportunity, walking off the opener with a deep drive over the right field wall.
 
Bloomsburg's three triples marks the first time since 2021 that they have posted three triples in one game and the first time at home in over 13 years.
 
Bryce Danish (Mount Union, Pa./Mount Union Area) earned his third win of the season, allowing just one run while striking out two in 3.1 innings of work to close out the game. Brandon Wozniak (Nanticoke, Pa./Nanticoke Area) got the start and allowed three unearned runs in two-plus innings. Brian Walsh (Scranton, Pa./Scranton Prep) spent 2.2 innings on the bump and struck out two while allowing five unearned runs.
 
Game Two – Bloomsburg 9, Mansfield 0
 
Bloomsburg got off to a hot start in the nightcap as Russo reached on a hit by pitch. A double from Jarmon set the stage for a fielder's choice from Balestrini that resulted in a run scored for the Huskies while no out was recorded.
 
Trommer then brought in the second run for Bloomsburg on a sacrifice bunt. Casey O'Brien (Moosic, Pa./Riverside) reached on a fielder's choice as the Mountaineers attempted to get Balestrini out at third. The off-target throw allowed the right fielder to score and make it 3-0. Freda drove in the fourth and final run of the inning on a single up the middle.
 
The bottom of the third saw Trommer post his second RBI of the game as he roped a double to right centerfield to score Balestrini. The left fielder was then brought home on an RBI-single from O'Brien to make it 6-0.
 
Kress led off the bottom of the fourth in dramatic fashion, nearly putting his second home run of the day off the road past the right field fence to advance the lead to 7-0. Jarmon made it 8-0 later in the frame on a sacrifice fly to score Hirsh,
 
As the Huskies and a Mountaineers began to battle the elements the fifth inning, the visitors got on the board, scoring three runs on four hits.
 
Bloomsburg notched on more run in the sixth as Russo scored on a wild pitch.
 
Mansfield manage to get one run back in the seventh, but the maroon and gold held on for the crucial doubleheader sweep over the Mountaineers.
 
Andrew Armstrong (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) recorded his third win of the year, striking out seven and allowing four runs in 6.1 innings. Christian Zito (Eatontown, N.J./Monmouth Regional) faced the final two batters of the day and notched one strikeout.
 
Playoff Scenarios
 
The sweep over Mansfield at "The Dan" is a crucial for the Huskies postseason hopes as they eye their first PSAC Tournament appearance since 2021.
 
Bloomsburg controls its fate as a sweep over Mansfield in Friday's road doubleheader will clinch a spot in the conference championship.
 
If the maroon and gold split the twin bill at Mansfield, Shippensburg must sweep Shepherd for Bloomsburg to make the postseason.
 
The Huskies conclude the regular season on Friday, May 1st as they square off against the Mountaineers in a 12 p.m. doubleheader at Joseph Shaute Field.