SHIPPENSBURG, PA (March 19, 2010) – Mike Bucklin's only plate appearance of the afternoon helped the Kutztown University baseball team enjoy a happy bus ride home.

After dropping the first game, 5-4, Bucklin's two-out, two-strike single in the top of the seventh inning scored two runs and helped the 14th-ranked Golden Bears rally past Shippensburg, 4-3, to earn a split of a doubleheader Friday in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division opener for both squads. (GAME 1 BOXSCORE) (GAME 2 BOXSCORE)

Bucklin's single up the middle scored Mike Kacelowicz with the tying run and Corey Buletza with what proved to be the winning run. Winning pitcher Jonathan Grosse, who retired all five batters he faced, needed less than 10 pitches to finish off the Red Raiders in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Kutztown raised its overall record to 11-3 and PSAC East record to 1-1. Meanwhile, Shippensburg's overall record stands at 5-16 and 1-1. The two teams will meet at Kutztown Saturday afternoon beginning in a twin bill at 1 p.m. It will also be the home opener for the Golden Bears. If those games match the drama of the two at Shippensburg, then fans will be in for a treat.

The Golden Bears needed to rally after Shippensburg's Cody Kulp gave his team a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. The winning rally began with Brett Wigder drawing a one-out walk. Buletza reached on a fielder's choice. However, with the Golden Bears down to their final out, they refused to give up. Kacelowicz bludgeoned a double to left centerfield to keep the game alive and put runners at second and third.

With Shayne Houck, the Golden Bears' leading batter, standing in at the plate, Shippensburg chose to intentionally walk him and load the bases setting the stage for Bucklin.

Additional highlights of the second game included Jared Frey, the reigning PSAC East player of the week, drilling a double that tied the game 2-2 in the top of the sixth inning. Mike Dugan had a pair of hits and scored Kutztown's first run of the game on a Jeff Kistle single in the top of the second inning.

The opening game ended with the potential tying run on base in the top of the seventh inning. Dugan and James Quigley had two hits each for Kutztown, which battled from behind most of the contest.

Shippensburg scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to snap a 3-3 tie. The Red Raiders jumped to a 3-0 advantage after three innings. Kutztown used an error and a fielder's choice to close to within, 3-2, in the fourth inning. Quigley's two-out double scored Houck with the tying run in the fifth inning.

Kutztown pitcher Ryan Cassidy struck out three batters over four innings. The Golden Bears had eight hits in each game. 

--KU--