Bloomsburg Baseball Splits Doubleheader vs. Mansfield

BLOOMSBURG- Rob Watlock (Plains/ Coughlin) , Matt Robinson (York/ Red Lion), and Vinnie James (Philadelphia/ Bristol) each had three hits to lead the Bloomsburg University baseball team to a 17-4 win over Mansfield University in the second game of doubleheader Saturday afternoon. In game one, the Huskies lost 13-10.

In game two, Bloomsburg jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. Jeremy Eck (Williamsport/ Montoursville) had a two-RBI single in the bottom of the first to give Bloomsburg an early 2-0 lead. Bloomsburg then added four runs in the second inning; all with two outs. The inning was capped off by a three-run home run to right by field by Watlock Bloomsburg would then add two runs in the third, six runs in the fourth and three runs in the fifth and led 17-2 after five innings.

Dustin Johnson (Sunbury/ Shikellemy) pitched his fifth complete game of the season for the win. Johnson scattered nine hits, allowed three earned runs and struck out three batters. Watlock finished 3-5 with three runs scored, and three RBI, while Robinson was 3-5 with a run and 3 RBI. James was 3-4 with three runs scored and two RBI and Rich Letts (Parkesburg/ Octorara) was 2-3 with two runs and two RBI.

In game one, Mansfield got out to a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. However, the Huskies responded by scoring six runs in the bottom half of the inning. After Matt Robinson led off the inning with a single and Andy Bucher doubled Robinson to third, Jeremy Eck double home two runs to cut the lead to 3-2. Eck would later advance to third and score on a fielder's choice to tie the game at three. The Huskies then loaded the bases with two outs when Letts hit a bases clearing double to make the score 6-3.

However in the top of the second Mansfield retook the lead, scoring four runs in the inning making the score 7-6. Bloomsburg would then push across a run in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game.

Mansfield would then add a run in third, fourth, and fifth innings and after four and half innings led 10-8. The Huskies tied the game, however, when Bucher and Eck each had two-out RBI singles to make it a 10-10 ball game after five innings. Mansfield would rally once again, however, scoring two runs in the sixth and a run in the seventh to make it 13-10. Bloomsburg was unable to mount another rally as Mansfield pitcher Colby Rickabaugh (2-0) shut down the Husky bats for the final 2.1 innings to earn the win.

Eck finished 3-4 with three RBI and two runs scored, while Bucher was 3-4 with a run and an RBI.

Bloomsburg, now 6-23, 1-5 in the PSAC East, will travel to Mansfield for a doubleheader on Sunday at 1 p.m.