KUTZTOWN, PA (April 8, 2010) – Lately, the only thing hotter than the recent warm temperatures has been the Kutztown University baseball team. The 17th-ranked Golden Bears rallied from a two-run deficit to take the opener 5-3 and came back from four down to win the nightcap 11-8 to sweep Wilmington University on Thursday afternoon at North Campus Field. (Game 1 boxscore) (Game 2 boxscore)
The Golden Bears won their ninth straight game, improving their record to 24-6 overall. Wilmington, had a season high 14 game win streak before Wednesday, has now dropped three straight.
James Quigley swung the big bat for the Golden Bears in the first game. He drove in three runs and his two-run single in the fifth inning gave the Golden Bears the lead for good, 5-3. Tom Neely earned the win after pitching five strong innings for Kutztown. Jordan Garcia and Mike Bucklin didn't allow a run in the sixth and seventh innings.
Trailing 3-1 entering the bottom of the fifth inning, the KU bats came to life. Gilbert Vega's one-out double scored Cody Montz, who singled. Vega extended his hitting streak to five games. Jared Frey followed with a RBI single that tied the game, 3-3. Shayne Houck followed with a double that moved Frey to third base and set the stage for Quigley's heroics. Houck extended his hitting streak to seven games with his 17th multi-hit game of the season.
Quigley's ground out to second base in the first inning tied the game at 1-1. The Wildcats scored a pair of runs in the fourth inning to take a 3-1 lead. After allowing two of the first three Kutztown batters to reach base in the first inning, Wilmington starting pitcher Ryan Lally retired 10 of the next 12 hitters before the Golden Bears' eruption in the fifth inning. During their four-run rally, five consecutive Kutztown batters reached base via a hit.
Frey finished with two hits and two runs scored.
In the second game, the Golden Bears scored two runs in the fifth inning and five in the sixth to overtake the Wildcats 11-8.
Mike Kacelowicz and Matt Albaugh singled through the left side to lead off the fifth inning. Houck caught Wilmington off guard with a perfect bunt down the third base line and Kacelowicz scored from second as the third baseman's throw sailed wide at first. Mike Dugan capped off the scoring with a bases loaded walk.
Dugan came through in the sixth using his wheels to beat out a possible inning ending double play. With the bases loaded and one out, Dugan sent a two-hopper to short but the Wildcats couldn't twist two and Montz scored the go-ahead run. Frey and Brad Stoudt each followed with RBI singles to hand KU a three run cushion.
Houck and Quigley each finished off the game with three RBIs and Kacelowicz reached base and scored in all four of his at-bats.
Brandon Shurr and Jacob Schnee had similar pitching lines of three innings and four runs surrendered, with Schnee picking up the win. Adam Maini worked a scoreless seventh to pick up the save. He froze the first two batters with strike outs looking and forced a dribbler back to the mound to close out the contest.
Kutztown visits fifth-ranked West Chester in a PSAC showdown for first place Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. in a doubleheader. The Golden Bears host West Chester Saturday afternoon on North Campus Field starting at 1 p.m.
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