KUTZTOWN, PA (April 14, 2010) – The Kutztown University softball team did what it needed to do keep its chances alive of claiming the top Eastern Division seed in next week's Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) postseason tournament.
Playing in its penultimate conference doubleheader, Kutztown defeated Shippensburg, 2-1 and 6-1, Wednesday afternoon at North Campus Field. (GAME 1 BOXSCORE) / (GAME 2 BOXSCORE)
The Golden Bears (33-12 overall, 11-3 PSAC East) extended their winning streak to six games and remained tied with West Chester (28-10, 11-3) for the top spot in the PSAC East. West Chester swept East Stroudsburg, 5-1 and 7-4 in eight innings Wednesday afternoon.
Both teams have one PSAC East doubleheader remaining this weekend. Kutztown visits East Stroudsburg Friday afternoon in a game beginning at 2:30 p.m. West Chester travels to Millersville Saturday afternoon in a 1 p.m. start.
Currently, West Chester holds the tiebreaker over Kutztown for the top seed. However, all that could change by the end of the weekend. For now, all that mattered is that the Golden Bears took care of business on the field.
Kutztown celebrated its return to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top 25 poll by pulling out a dramatic victory in the opener and pounding out 10 hits each in both games. The Golden Bears are ranked 25th nationally in the latest poll released Wednesday morning and second in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region rankings.
Finishing off Shippensburg was not easy especially in the opener.
Krista Tedjeske led off the bottom of the fourth inning by smashing a home run to center field that easily cleared the fence. Pitcher Katlin Arbogast, the reigning PSAC East Pitcher of the Week, nursed the slim 1-0 advantage until the seventh inning when the Red Raiders tied the score, 1-1, following a KU error.
Of course, the Golden Bears have specialized in one-run thrillers this season. Entering the bottom of the seventh inning, Kutztown had Shippensburg right where it wanted it.
Leadoff hitter extraordinaire Maria Schiavo opened the bottom of the seventh inning with a single. She ended up on second base following a Shippensburg error. With one out, home run leader Nicole Henninger was intentionally walked, which set the stage for freshman catcher Katie Lynch.
As usual, Lynch came through with another memorable moment in an already blossoming career book that is getting thicker with each game. Lynch delivered a game-winning double to right centerfield that scored Schiavo with the decisive run. Lynch's blast helped Arbogast win her 94th career decision and finish her 93rd career complete game. Arbogast struck out seven batters to increase her career total to 964.
Lynch carried her scalding bat into the second game. She collected two hits and drove in three runs. Her biggest blow was a two-run double in the fifth inning that scored Schiavo and Nicole Colineri. Lynch's hit increased Kutztown's advantage to 5-1.
Colineri sparked Kutztown's offense with three hits and two runs scored in the second game. Also enjoying big moments in the nightcap was Maria Isgro, who doubled, and Brianna Knipe, who slugged a leadoff home run to rightfield in the sixth inning.
Pitcher Monica Glomb was the beneficiary of all Kutztown's offense as she earned the victory with her seventh complete game of the season and 22nd of her career. She allowed four hits and one run.
Kutztown and East Stroudsburg split a doubleheader at North Campus Field on March 26. Following its doubleheader against ESU, the Golden Bears travel to Bloomsburg Saturday afternoon. The Huskies are currently ranked first in the Atlantic Region by the NCAA Division II softball committee and sixth in the NFCA Top 25 poll.
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