Bloomsburg Softball Advances with Sweep of Games

SHIPPENSBURG--The Bloomsburg University softball team won two games on Friday at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional championships to move to closer to its second straight regional title. The Huskies beat California (PA), 4-1, then shutout the tournament's top seed, Lock Haven, 3-0, on Friday at Shippensburg University.

In the game one of the day, Bloomsburg jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Kelly Zarski (Paxinos/ Danville) started things off with a one-out single and then advanced on a wild pitch. Lisa Bohner (Northumberland/Shikellamy) then doubled home Zarski for the first run of the game. Bohner advanced to third on a ground ball and scored on a pass ball to make it 2-0.

Bloomsburg then added two more in the second inning. Kristina Tice (Port Jervis, NY/ Minisink Valley) and Kayleen Sidisky (Bellefonte/ Bellefonte) led the inning off with back-back singles and Jen Miller (Muir/ Williams Valley) walked to load the bases with nobody out. Tara Reed (Williamsport/ Williamsport) was then hit by a pitch to force in a run. A throwing error then brought home another run for the Huskies and they led 4-0 going into the third inning.

Pitcher Ashley Lynn (Riverside/ Danville) was able to hold the lead the rest of the way. California pushed a run across in the top of the 4th but that would be all they could mount against Lynn who went the distance allowing just five hits and striking out seven.

In the Huskies' second game of the day, Lynn tossed a three-hit shutout of Lock Haven, the tournament's top seed. Lynn also did not walk a batter and allowed just two base runners in the same inning once and pinned the first loss of the season on the Lady Eagles' Kristin Erb.

Bloomsburg got the only runs of the game in the fourth inning. With one out, Zarski and Bohner hit back-to-back with Zarski coming around to score after an error by the leftfielder. Alyson Taylor (Jersey Shore/Jersey Shore) then reached on an error with Bohner going to third. After a ground out moved pinch runner Kristen Castano (Nanticoke/Nanticoke) to second, Tice followed with a two-run single to put the Huskies in front 3-0.

The Huskies had a chance to break the game wide open in the fifth, but Lock Haven was able to escape a bases loaded jam without allowing a run.

Bloomsburg, now 37-15, will face Shippensburg on Saturday at 2 p.m. in a winner's bracket game.