April 30, 2007

Baseball Sweeps Millersville; Miss PSAC Playoffs on Tie-Breaker


GAME ONE BOX SCORE

GAME TWO BOX SCORE

MILLERSVILLE--The Bloomsburg University baseball team swept a pair of games from Millersville on Sunday winning 8-7 and 9-3. Despite the sweep, the Huskies will miss the upcoming Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) playoffs after losing the tie-breaker to East Stroudsburg.

Needing to sweep four games from last place Millersville and get some help from the teams above them, the Huskies did what it had to do this weekend; taking four games from the Marauders. However, East Stroudsburg was able to take one game in its series with West Chester leaving both the Huskies and Warriors with identical league marks of 9-11. But, the Warriors held the tie-breaker over the Huskies by virtue of its 3-1 mark against Mansfield, while Bloomsburg was 2-2 against the Mounties. Bloomsburg was aiming for its first playoff berth since 1997.

In the opener, the Huskies took a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI single by Vinnie James (Bristol/Bristol). Bloomsburg made it 5-0 in the fourth in fourth Paul Eckley (Port Matilda/State College) had a two-run double in the inning, while Matt Robinson (York/Red Lion) hit a two-run homer.

After Millersville cut the deficit to 5-4 with four runs in the bottom of the fourth, the Huskies scored three more in the top of the fifth. Andy Bucher (Littlestown/Littlestown) had an RBI single, while two other runs scored on a throwing error. Millersville got to within 8-7 with runs in the fifth and sixth innings, but could not push across the tying run despite putting two runners on in the seventh.

Kevin Ward (Upper Darby/Monsignor Bonner) went 2-2 with two runs scored in the opener, while James was 2-4 with an RBI.

In game two, the Huskies used the long ball to take a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Chris Tressler (Lewistown/Lewistown) hit a two-run homer, then Ward followed with a solo shot. Later, leading 5-0, Bloomsburg put the game out of reach with four runs in the sixth. Matt Allen (DuBoistown/South Williamsport) had a two-run single with Ward and Bucher also getting an RBI in the inning.

David Rute (Milton/Milton) went the distance to earn the win.

Bloomsburg ends its season with a mark of 19-26, 9-11 in the PSAC East. The 19 wins are the most for the Huskies since the 2002 season when they won 24 games.