Starr, Haven bats carry Bald Eagles to Game 1 win; Baseball splits with Bloomsburg

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: March 16, 2024

Courtesy of Lock Haven Athletics

Behind a game-one gem from pitcher Garrett Starr and an offensive surge, the Bald Eagles opened Saturday’s DH with a 10-2 win; Haven edged by Bloomsburg in a thrilling game two that came down to the final play

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven baseball team (6-12, 3-5 PSAC East) put it all together in a dominating game-one win and the victory helped the Bald Eagles split with visiting Bloomsburg (3-12, 1-7 PSAC East) today (Saturday, March 16) in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division action.

The story in the big game-one win was pitcher Garrett Starr (DuBois, Pa./DuBois), and the Bald Eagle bats that powered the offense. Starr threw a complete-game gem on the way to the 10-2 victory.

In game two, Bloomsburg edged out Lock Haven, 8-7 in a game that featured a furious late-game rally from the Bald Eagles, and a contest that came down the final out.

Lock Haven and Bloomsburg opened their four-game PSAC East series Thursday (March 14) at Bloomsburg and the Bald Eagles swept the series-opening doubleheader. In all, The Haven won 3-of-4 in the important early-season PSAC Eastern Division series.

Today’s games in Lock Haven also marked The Haven’s annual Military & Veterans Appreciation Day.

Game 1 Recap: Final, Lock Haven 10 – Bloomsburg 2

In the lopsided 10-2 game-one win, the Bald Eagles got a masterful start from Starr and Lock Haven scored the 10 runs on 14 hits.

Starr went the distance and struck out eight over seven innings. He scattered six hits, walked two and didn’t surrender a run until the bottom of the seventh.

Lock Haven tallied four runs in both the fourth and fifth inning. The Bald Eagle bats recorded five doubles on the day.

Francisco Taveras (Muhlenberg, Pa./Muhlenberg) went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in game one and Zachary McEllroy (Emmaus, Pa./Emmaus) was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Jaxson Pupo (Lewistown, Pa./Mifflin County) was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, Dante Bruno (Telford, Pa/Souderton Area) went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored and Lance Baldensperger (Warren, Pa./Warren) rounded out the notable plate performances with a 2-for-3 game one with a run scored and an RBI.

Game 2 Recap: Final, Bloomsburg 8 – Lock Haven 7

Bloomsburg hung on and edged out the Bald Eagles, 8-7, in game two despite Lock Haven’s late-game rally.

Lock Haven rallied for a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth and they added two more in the bottom of the seventh as they tried to comeback in thrilling fashion.

Trailing 8-5 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Lock Haven plated a pair of runs and had the bases loaded, but the Bald Eagles just couldn’t sneak all the way back.

Gavin Neal (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra) had a pair of hits in game two and he drove in two runs.

McEllroy was 2-for-4 in game two as he had another strong outing at the plate.

Taveras drove in two runs on a clutch hit in the bottom of the seventh as he rounded out the offensive highlights in game two.

Up Next for Lock Haven:

The Bald Eagles are scheduled to host IUP on Tuesday, March 19 at 1 p.m. (*9-inning game).