SB4-15

ESU-Bloomsburg Softball

EAST STROUDSBURG - Mary Beth Scotch and Jill Higgins hit back-to-back doubles in the seventh inning to give East Stroudsburg University a 4-3 win over Bloomsburg in the second game of a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference softball doubleheader Saturday.

The Huskies (32-7, 11-3 PSAC) won the opener, 10-0, as Kerri Cooper hurled a five-hit shutout and her teammates broke the game open with six runs in the sixth inning.

The second-game win was the Warriors' first over Bloomsburg since 1994 and only the fourth in history. The Huskies lead the series, 50-4, with ESU getting wins in 1980 and 1981 and then going 13 years without a victory.

It also was ESU coach Janelle Breneman's first win in 20 games against her alma mater and former coach, Jan Hutchison. Breneman has coached the Warriors five years.

The Warriors (12-12, 7-7 PSAC) took a 2-1 lead in the first inning of the second game on run-producing singles by Casey Dixon and Tara Buckley. The Huskies' Erica Miller had belted a solo homer over the rightfield fence in the top of the first.

Consecutive singles by Higgins, Deana Geist and Tara Greig followed by a groundout gave ESU a 3-1 edge in the fifth inning.

Bloomsburg rallied in the top of the seventh as Melanie Anderson and Liza Pepper singled and moved up on a groundout. Then with two outs, pinch-hitter Christi McHale singled to centerfield to tie the game.

In the bottom of the seventh, Scotch hit her double to right-centerfield and knocked out starting pitcher Julie Undercuffler. Cooper came in to relieve and was greeted by Higgins' game-winning double off the fence in deep centerfield.

Tina Morak gained the pitching victory, giving up eight hits and striking out three. Higgins and Geist were both 2 for 3. Miller was 2 for 3 for the Huskies.

Ahead by only 1-0, Bloomsburg combined five hits with a walk and an error for its six-run rally in the opener. The big hit was Michele Dreistadt's two-run triple. The Huskies' Chris Bertatie went 3 for 4 while ESU's Erica Lee was 2 for 4.

(first game)

Bloomsburg 100 006 3 10-13-1

East Stroudsburg 000 000 0 0- 5-6

Kerri Cooper and Melanie Anderson; Tina Morak and

Erika Lee

2B - ES, Mary Beth Scotch

3B - B, Michele Dreistadt

(second game)

Bloomsburg 100 000 2 3-8-1

East Stroudsburg 200 010 1 4-8-0

Julie Undercuffler, Cooper (7) and Anderson; Morak and Lee

LP - Undercuffler

2B - ES, Scotch, Jill Higgins

HR - Erica Miller 1st (None on)

Records: Bloomsburg 32-7 (11-3 PSAC), ESU 12-12 (7-7 PSAC)