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SALEM, Va. (March 16, 2012)—The Kutztown University softball team recorded its eight shutout of the season with a 5-0 win over Shepherd University on Friday afternoon at the Salem Invitational.

Kutztown is currently ranked 12th in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA)Division II Top 25.

The Golden Bears (17-1 overall) have been doing an outstanding job defensively. Kutztown has kept its opponents scoreless in the last four games. Freshman pitcher Mary Kociencki (Columbia, N.J./Sparta ) (Columbia, N.J./Sparta) recorded the win for KU. She threw a complete game and finished with three strikeouts. Kociencki, who is 5-0 on the season, has provided depth in KU's pitching efforts.

Offensively, seven Golden Bears finished with at least one hit against Shepherd who finished with six hits. Kutztown jumped to a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning following a three-run homer by Samantha Derr (Lititz, PA/Warwick) (Lititz, Pa./ Warwick).

In the fifth inning, with no outs and runners on second and third, Brianna Knipe (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) (Bethlehem, Pa./ Liberty) cleared the bases with a single to center field to push Kutztown to a 5-0 advantage.

Sophomore Jackie Hetzler (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) (Turnersville, NJ/ Washington Twp.) had a big game for the Kutztown University softball team as she helped guide it to an 8-0 win over Glenville State College earlier Friday afternoon.

This was the second meeting of the season for KU and Glenville State (3-9 overall). Kutztown downed the Pioneers, 16-4 in the closing day of the Catawba Tournament in North Carolina a few weeks ago.

Kutztown went into the bottom of the fifth inning leading 7-0. With two outs and Stephanie Pritchard (Parkesburg, PA/Octorara) (Parkesburg, PA / Octorara) on first, Hetzler used a double to score Pritchard which closed the game in five innings. The Golden Bears jumped to a 2-0 advantage in the first inning after Hetzler led off with a single to right field. Kelly Fitzgerald (Upper Darby, PA/Archbishop Prendergast) (Upper Darby, Pa./ Archbishop Prendergast) drove in Hetzler. With two outs, Knipe singled to score Fitzgerald.

The Golden Bears mounted two more runs in the second inning to take a 4-0 lead. KU used a two-out rally, commenced by Morgan Booth (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) (Stroudsburg, Pa./ Stroudsburg) to revive its offense. Booth reached on an infield error and used her speed to steal second. With Booth in scoring position, Hetzler doubled to center field to put Kutztown up 3-0. Kelly Strittmatter (Wyckoff, NJ/Indian Hills) (Wyckoff, NJ/ Indian Hills) used a single to score Heztler.

The third inning was an encore performance of the second inning. Kutztown came to life again with two outs to score two more runs, allowing it to hold a 6-0 advantage. Katie Lynch (Willow Street, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) (Willow Street, Pa./ Lampeter-Strasburg) reached on a single while Maria Isgro (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) (Galloway, NJ/ Absegami) reached on an error. Derr, who has been performing well for the KU offense belted a double to score Lynch and Isgro.

KU took a 7-0 lead in the fourth inning after Heather Hannum (Horsham, PA/Hatboro-Horsham) (Horsham, Pa./ Hatboro-Horsham) scored Strittmatter off a single.

The Golden Bears finished with 11 hits. Hetzler was 3-for-4 at the plate with a pair of runs and two RBIs. Strittmatter was 2-for-2 with a run scored and a RBI. Six other Golden Bears finished with at least one hit.

Derr recorded her ninth win of the season against the Pioneers. She finished with two strikeouts while the Pioneers tallied only two hits. Pritchard also saw some time in the circle for KU. She recorded one strikeout.

“We feel good about our performance so far,” Kutztown University head coach Judy Lawes said. “It's a total team effort and  we're trying to focus on one game at a time. Our pitching is phenomenal and our defense is rock solid. Offensively we are getting timely hits. Tomorrow we'll continue to be aggressive and hope for the best.”

Kutztown will face West Virginia State at 1 p.m. and Fairmont State at 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 17.