Box Score



Boxscore
 
HAMPTON, Va. – The Kutztown University baseball team tallied 16 walks and nine hits while senior pitcher Dominick Ruscitti (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville-Newbaugh/Dominican College) (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville-Newbaugh) allowed just one hit through five innings as KU rolled to a 12-1 victory over Lock Haven University Thursday evening in the opening game of the Builder Invitational.
 
In his second start of the year, Ruscitti went five innings of one-run ball while striking out five batters, including two in the third inning.  He allowed just one hit and an unearned run off a sacrifice fly in the first inning.  The right hander is now 2-0 in his first two starts of the year.
 
As great as KU's defense was, Kutztown's (3-2) attack at the plate put it in the best position to win.  Seven on the nine starters in the lineup got a hit against the Bald Eagles (0-1).  Sophomore second baseman Sean McCormick (West Chester, PA/Henderson) (West Chester, PA/Henderson) and junior leftfielder Andrew Otterberg (Wall Township, N.J./Wall Township) (Wall Township, NJ/Wall Township) each had multi-hit games as they combined for 4-for-7 in the six and seven spots in the lineup.  Through five games, McCormick holds the early lead with a .417 average at the plate.
 
The 16 walks were the most for KU in the past 13 years.  The wide margin of victory is nothing unheard of from KU, as it put up 22 in its 22-1 victory over Lock Haven last season.  In the past 12 years, KU is 15-0 against LHU and has outscored the Bald Eagles 148-29 since the two teams began playing each other in the annual Builder Invite in 2000.
 
The two Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) programs traded runs in the first inning despite KU leaving the bases loaded.  After a scoreless second inning, the Golden Bears put up three in the third and six in the fifth to put the game out of reach for LHU.  KU opened the third with three straight hits and finished with four overall as Matt Albaugh (Hatfield, PA/North Penn) (Hatfield, PA/North Penn), Corey Buletza (St. Clair, PA/Pottsville) (St. Clair, PA/Pottsville) and Brandon Shurr (Bernville, PA/Schuylkill Valley) (Bernville, PA/Schuylkill Valley) all racked up RBI's.   
 
Senior third baseman Shayne Houck (Boyertown, PA/Boyertown) (Boyertown, PA/Boyertown) and Albaugh jumpstarted the scoring in the fifth with bases loaded walks.  Buletza took care of his fellow teammates on the base paths and knocked in a bases clearing double.  It was his only plate appearance of the night as the senior had a game-high five RBI.  Albaugh finished with two RBI.
 
Freshman right hander Connor Wing (West Chester, PA/Unionville) (West Chester, Unionville) relieved Ruscitti after the fifth with two shutout innings.  Five of his six outs came by strikeout as he walked one and allowed a pair of hits. 
 
LHU left hander Matt Hendrixson picked up the loss in the team's first game of the year.  He went 4.2 innings and allowed seven runs off 11 walks and five hits.  Senior designated hitter Kevin Cressman was responsible for the team's lone run of the night from his sacrifice fly in the first.
 
The Golden Bears return to action tomorrow as they take on the Apprentice School at 12 p.m.