EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. (March 18, 2011) – The Kutztown University baseball team ran into some tough in-conference pitching as it dropped its opening Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division games to East Stroudsburg Friday afternoon at Mitterling Field.(GAME 1 BOXSCORE)    (GAME 2 BOXSCORE)

 

The Golden Bears (10-6 overall, 0-2 PSAC East), ranked 20th in the latest Division II Collegiate Baseball rankings, had two hard fought games but ended up on the wrong side of 1-0 and 6-0 decisions in their opening two conference games.

 

After four scoreless innings in game one, the Warriors (15-3, 2-0) got what proved to be the game-winning RBI from Jake Griesemer with two outs to put ESU on top.  Jonathan Grosse (Bayport, NY/Bayport-Bluepoint) pitched the first game for KU and had a terrific outing to say the least. He threw six innings and didn't allow an earned run all game. He let up just three hits while striking out three ESU batters.

 

Senior Mike Dugan (Ocean City, N.J./Ocean City) got two of Kutztown's three hits in the opening game. He doubled to right field in the second inning and also stole a base for KU. Dugan ended the day with three hits and improved his average to .349. This was his ninth multi-hit game of the season and is second on the team in hits with 22.

 

Kyle Stoudt (Mertztown, PA/Brandywine Heights) has continued to impress in his freshman campaign with the Golden Bears. He went a perfect 3-for-3 including a double in Kutztown's second game of the day and moved his average up to .396, good for third on the team. Stoudt also came into Friday's games leading the team in RBI with 16.

 

Dugan and Stoudt accounted for four of the five hits in the second game of the afternoon, with older brother Brad Stoudt (Topton, PA/Brandywine Heights) hitting a double as well.

 

Tyler Persun (Mount Joy, PA/Donegal) pitched the second game for the Golden Bears and struck out four ESU batters in his four innings of work. Jacob Schnee (Saylorsburg/Pleasant Valley) and Jason Henderson (Douglassville, PA/Daniel Boone) each threw an inning of relief and neither pitcher let up an unearned run.

 

Both ESU pitchers threw complete games on Friday. Jeremy Gigliotti pitched game one while striking out nine batters and allowing three hits. Andy Noga pitched in the second game and struck out eight batters. 

 

KU will get another chance to avenge its opening conference losses to ESU as it will host the Warriors in a doubleheader in its home opener at North Campus Field beginning at 1:00 p.m. Live stats for Saturday's game can be found by CLICKING HERE.

 

--KU--