Box Scores
L 4-2
L 13-11

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EAST STROUDSBURG – Bloomsburg scored three runs in the fifth inning of a 4-2 win in the opener, and two in the top of the seventh for a 13-11 win in the nightcap after East Stroudsburg University rallied from a six-run deficit in the bottom of the sixth in a PSAC East baseball doubleheader on Sunday at Mitterling Field.

Bloomsburg (16-6, 8-2) won three of four in the weekend series after ESU (14-12, 4-6) captured the opener, 5-4, on Friday in central Pennsylvania. The Warriors scored two in the top of the seventh on Friday to rally before BU secured the split, 7-6.

Senior catcher Steven Zimmerman, Jr., honored at the start of the day for setting ESU's career home run record, hit his fifth of the season and the 21st of his career in the bottom of the first in game two. Zimmerman had a career-best 14-game hitting streak end in the opener.

Bloomsburg led 3-1 through three innings before the offenses erupted. ESU scored three in the fourth to make it 4-4, then both teams combined for 14 runs (seven apiece) over the fifth and sixth innings to make it 11-11 before the Huskies scored two in the seventh.

In the opener, three of Bloomsburg's four runs were unearned, capitalizing on three ESU errors to undo an otherwise strong pitching performance from sophomore Carson Freeman (5.0 IP, 1 earned run, 7 hits, 3 strikeouts, 2 walks) and redshirt freshman Nate Fiala (2.0 IP, 0 runs, 3 hits, 4 strikeouts, 1 walk). Fiala has worked in 12 of ESU's 26 games, posting a 2.31 ERA in 23.1 innings.

Freeman (3-for-7, double, RBI, 2 runs) and redshirt junior OF Christian Rishel (3-for-6, double, walk, 2 RBI, run) led ESU offensively on Sunday as the Warriors got RBI from eight different players.

Six Bloomsburg players had at least three hits on Sunday, and Shane Woelfel (8-for-17, HR, 4 RBI, 2 runs) and Austin Edgette (6-for-13, double, triple, HR, 3 RBI, 6 runs, 4 walks) led the Huskies in the series.

Game 1

ESU took a 2-0 lead in the second, but Blomsburg scored one in the third (unearned) and three in the fifth (two unearned) to win the opener.

The Warriors put their first four batters on in the second – senior 1B Laine Renaud was hit by a pitch, followed by singles by Rishel, redshirt junior DH Mike Sulcoski (RBI) and Freeman (RBI) – for a 2-0 lead before Bloomsburg starter JJ Spehrley got out of the inning with a popup and a fly ball double play.

In the Bloomsburg third, Edgette doubled, moved to third on a groundout and scored on an error to make it 2-1.

Andrew Holmes had a two-run single and Chad Cooperman had an RBI single for Bloomsburg in the fifth after Edgette walked and Woelfel reached on a bunt single to start the inning. The Warriors committed a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt before Holmes' single, and got a strikeout and cut off a run at the plate prior to Cooperman's two-out hit.

ESU managed just one baserunner the rest of the way as Spehrley (6.0 IP, 2 runs, 3 hits, 2 strikeouts, 3 walks) and Trey Hinkle (1.0 IP, save, 2 strikeouts) combined on a three-hitter. Spehrley improved to 5-0 in his eighth appearance (second start), and Hinkle notched his fourth save.

Game 2

Hinkle appeared in all four games in the series in relief, and got the final four outs for the Huskies to earn the win in the series finale as the last of 10 pitchers (four for Bloomsburg, six for ESU) to take the mound in Sunday's nightcap.

Bloomsburg scored in six of its seven innings and never trailed, but ESU tied the game in the first, fourth and sixth frames before the Huskies won it in the seventh on a two-RBI single by Ryan Shiffer.

The two teams combined for 24 runs, 24 hits and 36 baserunners – 14 for ESU (10 hits, 3 walks, HBP) and 22 for BU (14 hits, 7 walks, HBP), which left nine runners on base.

Zimmerman's solo homer to center tied at 1-1 in the first before BU scored two in the second on a leadoff homer by Ben Newbert, and a hit batter, walk, sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly.

BU made it 4-1 in the top of the fourth on a double steal with two outs, before ESU scored three in the bottom half to knot it at 4-4. Freshman 3B Brock Kauffman and Rishel (RBI) both doubled to start the inning, followed by a one-out double by Freeman, an RBI groundout by Renaud and a two-out RBI single by sophomore SS Joey Paolini.

A three-run Bloomsburg fifth, including a bunt single by Edgette, RBI triple by Shiffer, intentional walk to Newbert and two-out, two-RBI double by Kyle OFier, put BU up 7-4 through the top half before ESU got a run back on a Zimmerman double and RBI groundout by Kauffman got the Warriors within 7-5 through five frames.

BU plated four more in the top of the sixth with a two-run triple by Edgette, RBI double by Holmes and RBI single by Newbert, to lead 11-5.

ESU got all six runs back in the bottom half to tie it at 11-all, sending 11 batters to the plate. The first three reached as Sulcoski walked, Freeman singled and Renaud had an RBI ground-rule double. Redshirt junior PJ Van Orman pinch-hit and was hit by a pitch with one out to load the bases, followed by a two-RBI single by junior OF Zarley Cina. After Zimmerman walked to load the bases again, Kauffman had a sacrifice fly to score sophomore Noah Gingrich (pinch-runner), and Rishel had a two-out RBI single to get the Warriors within one. Redshirt sophomore Tom  Nuneviller scored the game-tying run from second on an error by the Bloomsburg third baseman on a sharply hit ground ball by Sulcoski to make it 11-11.

In the Bloomsburg seventh, Nate Krizan and Cole Swiger walked, and Woelfel had an infield single to load the bases with one out. Shiffer belted the go-ahead two-run single, and after another walk by Holmes loaded the bases, redshirt junior Derrick Jackson entered and got the final two outs.

Hinkle, who got Bloomsburg out of the bottom of the sixth, retired ESU in order in the seventh to secure the win.

Chad Cooperman threw the first 5.0 innings for Bloomsburg, allowing five runs on six hits (5 strikeouts, 1 walk). ESU got to Ed Herbener (0.1 IP, 4 runs, 2 hits, walk, HBP) and Mike Warren (0.1 IP, 2 runs, 2 hits, walk) in the sixth before Hinkle entered.

ESU used six pitchers with redshirt senior Mike Pepio throwing 4.0 innings, getting ESU out of the second and pitching through the fifth.

Zimmerman (2-for-3, 2B, HR, walk, RBI, 2 runs), Rishel (2-for-4, double, 2 RBI and Freeman (2-for-4, double, 2 runs) led ESU offensively.

Shiffer (3-for-5, triple, 4 RBI, run) and Newbert (3-for-4, HR, walk, 2 RBI, 3 runs) were the top hitters for Bloomsburg. Swiger was 2-for-3 with two doubles, a sacrifice fly, RBI and 3 runs in the leadoff spot, and Edgette (2-for-5, triple, 2 RBI, 2 runs) and OFier (2-for-4, double, 2 RBI, run) also had multiple hits.