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Bloomsburg Has Own Version Of Murderers' Row

BLOOMSBURG— They called them, “Murderers' Row.” The 1927 Yankees because of their unmatchable batting power became Murderers' Row, often delivering fatal blows to opposing pitching enabling them to win 110 games in the 1927 season and be labeled the best team in the history of Major League Baseball.

Babe Ruth set his long-standing record of 60 home runs in a single season. Lou Gehrig recorded 47 long balls and a major league record 175 RBI's, while Tony Lazzeri hit .309 with 102 RBI's and Bob Meusel hit .337 with 103 RBI's. Now 76 years later the trio of Brian Martin (Macungie/Emmaus), Brian Sperling (Levittown/Neshaminy), and Brian Zorger (Altoona/Altoona) from Bloomsburg University seem to be starting there own finicky metaphor glorifying violence or horror that seems to be so prominent in our society today known as the Killer B's.

The group to date currently has a combined batting average of .429 and ranks in the top five of almost every offensive statistical category. Martin, Sperling, and Zorger have been impact players ever since they arrived here at Bloomsburg and should give there team that extra boost they need to reach the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships (PSAC) and hopefully the NCAA Division II Championships.

“So far these three have given our lineup a lot of production,” coach Matt Haney commented. “Sperling, Zorger, and Martin give us that pop we need in the middle of our lineup to produce runs and they are coming through in a big way. A year ago we were hurt by our inability to get the clutch hit,” Haney said. “This year the three are doing a great job delivering when we have runners in scoring position.”

Senior designated hitter Brian Sperling currently is leading the Huskies in seven different statistical categories. He leads the team with a .443 batting average where he ranks 32 nationally, .623 slugging percentage, 18 runs scored, 27 hits, 20 RBI's, 38 total bases, and is tied for 1st on the team with 1 home run. He also ranks third with a .507 on base percentage, second in doubles with six and third in walks with eight. “As a senior, I know I have to take a leadership role, both on and off the field,” said Sperling, a second team All-PSAC East Designated Hitter (DH) last season.

Another returning senior who is having an impact this year is Brian Martin. After hitting .344 last season, which ranked him 42nd in Division II Martin, seems to be picking up right where he left off. He is third in batting with a mark of .426 and is fourth in slugging percentage of .541. Martin stated, “I feel we have the personnel to contend for a playoff spot this season. This is my last year and it would be great if we could qualify a spot for the PSAC Championships, something the team hasn't done since 1997.” Martin also ranks fourth on the team in runs scored with 11, second in hits with 26, third in runs batted in (RBI's) with 13, first in doubles with seven, and second on the team with 28 total bases.

The last member of the, “Killer B's,” is junior second basemen Brian Zorger. After leading the team in hits with 57 last year as a sophomore Zorger, is showing no signs of letting up in 2003. He is batting .417 with 11 RBI's and seems to be getting stronger with every game played. Batting in the cleanup spot most of the season for the Huskies, Zorger has been contributing great with runners in scoring position. Zorger mainly gives most of the credit to the guys batting before and after him. “If it wasn't for the great hitters around me (Martin and Sperling) I don't know if I would be having the kind of season or seasons I have been having,” Zorger said. “Opposing pitchers don't want to give those guys anything good to hit so I feel I see a lot more fastballs and in turn makes it a little easier for me.”

As was stated before by coach Haney, Bloomsburg's inconsistency to get the clutch, two-out hit in 2002 has been one of the reasons why the Huskies have failed to make the PSAC playoffs. “If we can get just a few more two-out runs home, then that will be the difference in making the playoffs or staying home for the post-season,” Haney said. So far the, “Killer B's,” have been doing an exceptional job of contributing to this problem that plagued them last year.

Brian Martin is currently batting .520 with runners in scoring position, while Sperling is hitting .440, and Zorger is also contributing batting .462. “We just need to keep sticking to the basics and take one game at a time,” Martin said. “If we do that we should make a run at the PSAC East Division and also the PSAC Championships.”

The question remains to be seen at this time if the trio can keep on putting up numbers that they have been all their careers, and keep striking fear into the opposing pitchers eyes just like the 1927 Yankees did. Maybe then this squad can put Bloomsburg baseball back on the map, and maybe even possibly in the playoffs.