JOHNSTOWN, PA (April 29, 2010) -- James Quigley had four hits and drove in four runs to help the Kutztown University baseball team defeat Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 8-3, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) playoff game Thursday night at Point Stadium. (Boxscore)
Pitcher Nathan Reed tossed 8.1 strong innings to pick up the win. Shayne Houck and Jared Frey also had three hits each for Kutztown (36-11 overall).
The Golden Bears will play the winner of the loser's bracket contest between IUP and Mercyhurst Friday night at 6:30 p.m. California (PA) will play at 3:30 against the winner of the elimination game between West Chester and Slippery Rock.
In the first two games of the tournament, Quigley is 7-for-10 with two doubles, a triple and homer. He has shown his power to the opposite with six of his hits going to right or right center field.
“You can't describe it when you're riding a hot streak,” said Quigley. “I was struggling the past few weeks, but lately I have been seeing the ball better. I am really pleased with the way things have been going lately at the plate.”
Reed overcame a shaky first inning where the Crimson Hawks scored two runs without a ball leaving the infield. IUP loaded the bases in the first off of an error and two straight walks. After Reed recorded the first of his season-high 10 strikeouts, the Hawks got a run on an infield single by T.J. Nichols."It was tough working off the portable mound in warm-ups than going to the real mound," said Reed. "I knew it would take some time to minimize the damage."
The next batter sent a shot up the middle that looked to be trouble. Cody Montz made a diving stop and flipped to second for the force out, but not before another unearned crossed the plate. Reed then finished off the inning with a groundout to first, the start of eight batters to be retired in order.
"I had my fastball working for strikes and that let my other pitches work more effectively," said Reed.
Reed received a run in the first with a two-out single by Houck and a triple by Quigley down the right field line. Corey Buletza led off the third with a double and came around to score on a single to left by Frey to knot the game at two. A double by Houck put runners on second and third and a sharply hit grounder to short by Quigley scored Frey.
With the score tied at three apiece, Matt Kulbacki gave the Golden Bears a two run cushion with a triple just out of the centerfielders reach to score Quigley and Mike Dugan.
“Coming up to the plate I saw Quigs on second, who was the main support up until that point,” said Kulbacki. “I said to myself 'Man up and lets get this done.' I was nervous as I watched the centerfield tracking the ball down.”
Quigley added insurance runs with RBI singles in the seventh and ninth. Also in the ninth, Houck sent a scorcher down the right field line for a double to score Frey.
The Golden Bears have assured themselves into the final day of the tournament, but know that they cannot take things lightly at this point.
“We put ourselves in a good position with the two wins,” said head coach Chris Blum. “Every team here is capable of winning it all, we need to play at our best. If we don't play well we will find ourselves in the same situation as the teams fighting out of the loser's bracket.”
--KU--
