No. 12 Bloomsburg 9, Mercyhurst 4
No. 12 Bloomsburg 4, Mercyhurst 3

ERIE, Pa. – In a double-header that featured six home runs, No. 12 Bloomsburg used three late homers to pull off a 9-4 comeback win before holding on for a 4-3 win to sweep Mercyhurst College in a softball twinbill Saturday, March 27. Mercyhurst put together back-to-back home runs in the first game, and led off the second game with a round-tripper.

Mercyhurst's record falls to an even 13-13 as a result of Saturday's games, as the team dropped both games of the home opener. Bloomsburg improves to 21-3 on the season, having won five games in a row.

Mercyhurst took a quick 2-0 lead in the first game, as Elizabeth Maier and Michelle Schmitz each scored runs after recording base hits. Laker pitcher Kristi Janoske and the Mercyhurst defense held Bloomsburg's offense under wraps early, allowing just one hits over the first four innings.

The Huskies responded with one run in the top of the fifth inning, and trailed 2-1 after five innings. In the bottom of the fifth, Michelle Schmitz and Jen Bower blasted back-to-back home runs for a 4-2 Laker advantage.

Bloomsburg took the lead for the first time with a two-out grand slam in the top of the sixth inning, and added four more runs on two homers in the seventh, good for a 9-4 final score.

BU's Shavaun Fisher struck out seven batters, allowing four runs on seven hits, while Janoske allowed seven runs on six hits in seven innings pitched, striking out six batters.

Bower, Maier and Schmitz registered two hits apiece, while Schmitz scored two runs and Bower drove in two.

Bloomsburg opened game two with one run in the first inning. The Lakers then struck back immediately, with Emily Redig leading off the first with a home run to tie the game at 1-1. The game remained tied until the Huskies scored twice in the top of the third inning. Once again, Mercyhurst bounced back, tying the game at 3-3 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. Schmitz doubled, and then Anna Glomb swatted an RBI double, and scored on a throwing error.

Bloomsburg regained the lead at 4-3 in the top of the sixth. Mercyhurst threatened with two hits to lead off the bottom of the inning, but the Lakers were unable to cash in, and fell by a 4-3 score.

Amanda Norman pitched four innings, allowing two earned runs, while Janoske (6-10) suffered the loss, yielding one run on three hits over the final three innings. Fisher earned her second win of the day with four scoreless innings.

Redig, Schmitz and Amber Rapose each batted 2-for-4 during the second game, with Redig and Schmitz each scoring one run. Rapose made a diving catch to save a homer in the top of the seventh inning.

The Lakers will next play host to cross town rival Gannon Monday, March 29 at 2:30 p.m. in the team's PSAC West opener at Mercyhurst Softball Field.