KU vs. Minot State Boxscore

KU vs. Limestone Boxscore

CLERMONT, Fla. (March 12, 2012)—The Kutztown University softball team battled ten innings with Minot State University to seal the deal with a 4-3 win at the National Training Center (NTC) Spring Games on Monday afternoon. KU also defeated Limestone College, 5-1 in its second game of the day.

Kutztown (13-1 overall) has surely been tested during the NTC Spring Games. It walked away with its second win in extra innings, following its victory over Minot State.

Both teams dueled and went scoreless for six innings until Minot State scored a run in the top of the seventh inning to take the lead. But the persistent Golden Bears answered the challenge and responded after senior Heather Hannum (Horsham, PA/Hatboro-Horsham) (Horsham, Pa./ Horsham-Hatboro) scored off an error. With the game tied 3-3 in the bottom of the tenth inning, junior Morgan Booth (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) (Stroudsburg, Pa./ Stroudsburg) scored off a fielder's choice from sophomore Jackie Hetzler (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) (Turnersville, NJ/ Washington Twp.).

Sophomore Samantha Derr (Lititz, PA/Warwick) (Lititz, Pa./ Warwick) led the KU offense, going 3-for-4 with a RBI. Hannum finished with two hits, a RBI, and a run scored. Hetzler also recorded two hits.

Freshman pitcher Mary Kociencki (Columbia, N.J./Sparta ) (Columbia, NJ/ Sparta) did a terrific job in the circle as she pitched all ten innings for the Golden Bears, allowing just five hits. Kociencki also recorded six strikeouts in the win.

“Mary did amazing for us today,” Kutztown University head coach Judy Lawes said. “She really battled it out and threw well. It's a lot of good competition down here and our willingness to tough it out and stay in games really displays our character. I think the team is growing with every game we play.”

In its second game against Limestone College, the Golden Bears wasted no time and put up three runs in the second inning after Hannum led off with a double.

In the fifth inning, Booth led off with a double to leftfield, followed by a single from Hetzler. Junior Brianna Knipe (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) (Bethlehem, Pa./ Liberty) tallied two RBIs when her single to right centerfield scored Booth and Hetzler. 

Derr went all seven innings recorded the win for KU.

“We have two more games tomorrow and we just want to go out play hard,” Lawes said. “It'll be great to end the trip with two wins.”

Kutztown will face Limestone at 11 a.m. and Stonehill College at 1 p.m. to conclude its NTC Spring Games tour in Florida.