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BU softball pulls out the brooms: Bloom softball sweeps East Stroudsburg in first home action

     On Monday, Mar. 26, the Bloomsburg University softball team began their 2018 slate at Jan M. Hutchinson Field with a doubleheader against the Warriors of East Stroudburg University. The Huskies won two one-run ballgames by scores of 4-3 and 6-5.

 

Game One Recap (4-3 BU)

    It did not take long for the Huskies to pounce. Second baseman Maggie Hall, batting second in the lineup, smacked the ball over the left field fence on the very first pitch that she saw. Bloomsburg added their second run off a pair of doubles by center-fielder Emily Mayhew and right-fielder Kalyyn Wheeland. After just four batters, the Huskies owned a 2-0 edge.

      In the top of the second inning, the Warriors cut Bloomsburg’s lead in half. Catcher Kaitlyn Caleen, batting leadoff, got things started with a single to right field. Caleen found herself in scoring position after Rachel Grabowski walked, and then scored on a throwing error. Sofia Cecchin reached first on the play. She would steal second, but Bloomsburg freshman pitcher Tara Baney, making her first start at Jan M. Hutchinson field, remained calm and got the final out of the inning as Kaylee Hazewski flew out.

      Baney helped herself out in the third inning when she hit her second home run of the season to left field, also scoring Mayhew, who had doubled two batters beforehand. The Huskies held a 4-1 lead all the way until the seventh inning, when the Warriors threatened. Madison Oren got the rally started with a single up the middle and reached second off a hit by Hazewski. Both ladies advanced bases on a wild pitch, and then Baney walked MacKenzie Lewis to load the bases. With one out, Mary Wallick grounded into a fielder’s choice that resulted in Oren being called out at the plate, but the bases remained loaded. However, the Huskies were not as lucky on the next play when Lewis and Hazewski both scored on another throwing error. Just as she did in the second inning, Baney did not allow the moment to get too big for her, getting Madison Vicendese to fly out to end the ballgame.

      Mayhew and Baney led the Huskies offensively with two hits apiece. In her seven-inning complete game, Baney allowed five hits and two walks with four strikeouts, earning her second win of the season. With all three of ESU’s errors scored on errors, Baney did not give up any earned runs. Her two-run home run also gave her the lead in RBI.“Being a freshman, you don’t really think of hitting a home run in your first collegiate home game,” Baney said. “It’s an amazing feeling.”

Game Two Recap (6-5 BU)

     Once again, Bloomsburg came out of the gates firing with four runs in the first inning. Shortstop Taylor Winkelman doubled, and Hall reached first in a throwing error. Mayhew got Winkelman home on a single, and then Mayhew and Hall advanced bases on a wild pitch. Wheeland got both runners home on a single of her own but had to come out of the game with an injury following the hit and was replaced by Erin Smith. The final run of the inning came from the bat of third baseman Nicolette Ray, who plated Smith on a single up the middle.

     Just like in game one, East Stroudsburg recorded one run in the second inning, coming off doubles by Caleen and Ceechin. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Bloomsburg added two more runs when Winkelman scored on a single by Mayhew, and Mayhew scored on a throwing error. The Huskies took a 6-1 lead into the fifth inning, but the Warriors would make things interesting yet again with a four-run inning of their own.

     Cecchin doubled to left-center to get the comeback effort started and advanced to third on a wild pitch. After Morgan Walsh walked, Hazewski bunted the classic “squeeze” play that ended with her being out at first and Cecchin scoring. Samantha Pickar, pitch-running for Walsh, scored on a sacrifice fly-out by Wallick. The Warriors added two more runs on a home run by Heather Visco, cutting Bloomsburg’s lead to one run. In the seventh inning, East Stroudsburg had runners on first and third with one out, but Wallick hit into a double play to seal the second one-run victory of the day for the Huskies.

      Mayhew led the way offensively in game two with three hits and two RBI. Wheeland also posted two RBI, and Winkelman collected two hits. Starting pitcher Alyssa Davies tallied her third win of the season, pitching five innings and allowing five runs on seven hits and one walk with one strikeout. Abby Wild tossed the final two innings, allowing two hits.

     Following Monday’s action, Bloomsburg sports an 8-9 record. Although East Stroudsburg is a school within the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), Bloomsburg plays in a separate division and the wins will not be included in Bloomsburg’s conference win total.
Weather pending, the Huskies are back at Jan M. Hutchinson Field on Friday, Mar. 30 at 2:30 pm for a twin-bill against Mansfield University.

 

 

 

 

Baney winds up for a pitch in the first game of the double header against East Stroudsburg. Baney also helped offensively, hitting her first home run of her NCAA career.

 

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