CLERMONT, Fl. (March 6, 2011) – Morgan Booth (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) turned on the power late to lift the No. 21-ranked Kutztown University softball team to a pair of awesome victories against a pair of quality programs Sunday afternoon at Hancock Field. The Golden Bears rallied to beat Wayne State, 5-4, and erupted late to shutout 16th-ranked Tampa, 5-0. (KUTZTOWN-TAMPA BOX)
The Golden Bears (11-2 overall) ran their winning streak to five games and improved to 4-0 on their Florida Spring Break trip. In beating a Wayne State squad that's currently receiving votes in the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association (NFCA) top 25 poll, the Golden Bears displayed heart, resilience, and a never-say-die attitude that will serve them well as the season gets deeper. Wayne State (1-6) opened the season ranked seventh in the NFCA preseason poll.
Booth picked the perfect time to hit her first two collegiate home runs. She lined a three-run shot over the centerfield fence against Wayne State that tied the game, 4-4. Booth concluded her memorable day by blasting a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning against Tampa (15-2) that gave the Golden Bears some breathing room and a sweet Sunday sweep.
“I am real happy that I was able to contribute to our victories today,” Booth said. “We knew today would be two of our toughest games of the week. Even though we came out flat against Wayne State, we always believed that we would win the game. As a team, we refused to give up.”
Wayne State hit four solo home runs to lead 4-0 entering the top of the seventh inning. Wayne State switched pitchers at that point. Sophomore Katie Lynch (Willow Street, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) belted a solo home run to lead off the inning and give the Golden Bears life. Maria Isgro (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) and Stephanie Graver (Peach Bottom, PA/Solanco) singled to leftfield to set the stage for Booth, who delivered the big blast.
As Booth came to the plate, Wayne State switched back to its starting pitcher. No problem. Even though she silenced the Golden Bears for six innings, Kutztown head coach Judy Lawes was confident that Booth could make solid contact and keep the inning game.
“She pulled me to the side and gave me a quick pep talk,” Booth said. “I wasn't trying to hit a home run because it seems like everytime I try to hit a home run, it never works out for me. I just stayed relaxed. The ball I hit out was a little outside and I didn't know if it was going to clear the fence. I knew I had made solid contact because it felt good when I swung and my hands didn't hurt.”
The Golden Bears kept the inning going when Brianna Knipe (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) following Booth's blast with a home run. Knipe scored the winning run when winning pitcher Sam Derr singled her home. Derr and Lynch led Kutztown in the first game with two hits each.
Senior pitcher Monica Glomb (Mars, PA/Mars) came through in the second game with a gem of a performance. She struck out five batters to terminate Tampa's school-record 12-game winning streak. Tampa was off to its best start in school history with wins in 15 of its first 16 outings. Glomb didn't allow a Tampa runner to reach third base. She had three perfect innings and used a pair of double plays to quell some Spartan rallies in other frames.
Lynch provided Glomb with the only support she really needed with a two-out single in the third inning that scored Elizabeth Kangas (Douglassville, PA/Daniel Boone). Knipe led off the third inning with a single and Kangas came in to run for her. Overall, Kutztown had seven hits in the victory over the Spartans. They got three hits in the sixth inning.
As usual, Lynch was a key figure in the four-run sixth inning. She started the sixth with a single. Graver followed with a single and Nicole Henninger (Reading, PA./Muhlenberg) reached on an error, which again brought Booth to the plate with a chance to do some damage. Booth devoured the first pitch she saw and sent it over the centerfield fence for a no-doubt-about it grand slam.
“This was a very exciting day for our team,” Lawes said. “The team never quit and they worked really hard. To beat two really good programs is a good feeling for us. Monica pitched an outstanding game and kept Tampa off-balanced. Overall, everybody has contributed and that's the best part of the start of this trip so far.”
Kutztown will continue action in Florida Monday when it plays Limestone at 11:30 a.m. and Alderson-Broaddus at 3:30 p.m.
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