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PSAC Championships-Henninger
Rob Knox

Softball By Britney D. Reddick, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

PSAC CHAMPIONSHIPS: KU looking ahead after setback to IUP

BOXSCORE

KUTZTOWN, Pa. (April 29, 2011)—The cheers never stopped coming out of the Kutztown University softball team's dugout despite its 3-1 defeat to Indiana University in 10 innings during the nightcap of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship series Friday afternoon at North Campus Field.

The Golden Bears (39-14 overall) fell to West Chester (38-14) in game two of the championship series, 2-0. Unfortunately, the two losses ended Kutztown's chance to win its first PSAC title. West Chester and IUP will battle for the 2011 PSAC title beginning Saturday at noon. Tickets are $7 for adults and $2 for students. Students with valid PSAC ID will be admitted free.

Nicole Henninger (Reading, PA./Muhlenberg) never seems to amaze the Golden Bears as she has continued to amplify her game day by day. The “Beast of the East” was unleashed again on Friday as she crushed a solo home run over right field in the second inning to give KU a 1-0 advantage. Henninger leads the PSAC in homers (16).

Kutztown kept IUP off the scoreboard until a 13-minute rain delay in the bottom of the sixth inning with KU batting and two outs halted action. The Golden Bears also had runners on first and second at the time of the delay.

IUP used two "seeing-eye" hits back through the middle to tie the game 1-1 in the seventh inning. Just that quickly it seemed as if a new game had begun. The level of intensity rose and both teams knew that they weren't going down without a fight.

The Crimson Hawks, ranked 17th in the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association (NFCA) top 25 poll and first in the NCAA Atlantic Region, scored two runs in the 10th inning on a  Kristen Tunno double and Michelle Bivona single. Both hits were with two outs. The Golden Bears battled, but luck was not on their side.

“I didn't think today was going to turn out the way it did,” Henninger said. “Overall we've had some great times this season and that's a lot to be proud of but you always want to do more.”

The pitching duo of Samantha Derr (Lititz, PA/Warwick) and Monica Glomb (Mars, PA/Mars) combined for 11 strikeouts in both of Friday's games.

Against West Chester, Jackie Hetzler (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township), Maria Isgro (Galloway, NJ/Absegami), Krista Tedjeske (Summerhill, PA/Forest Hill) and Derr each had a hit. West Chester also used a pair of two outs hits to scratch out single runs in the sixth and seventh innings.

“We are a better team than how we played today,” Kutztown University head coach  Judy Lawes said.  “I'm proud of the team. Monica and Sam did well today. We are a young team and this is just a lesson for us.”

The Golden Bears have definitely left their mark on the PSAC and has a lot to smile about.

Losing the battle doesn't mean you've lost the war. It's a lot of positive things KU will take out of this experience to help improve and build upon a team that is already great. Kutztown is putting the past behind them and focusing on the next obstacle they may possibly face. The Golden Bears are ranked fourth in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Poll and could potentially compete in the NCAA Division II Regionals for a ninth straight season.

“We have to come back refocused for regionals,” Henninger said. “We have to come out and play the game that we know how because it's do or die. If we don't win regionals, we don't go on and we know that we have the capability of playing with the best.”
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