Box Score 1 | Box Score 2



 
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – Each team showcased its offensive talent in the sixth inning of Saturday's doubleheader between the Kutztown University and Shippensburg University baseball teams.  In a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division matchup, KU defeated the Raiders 7-5 in the first game, but fell 3-1 in the nightcap.
 
The Golden Bears (13-4 overall, 3-1 PSAC East) earned a tough comeback victory in the opener over the Raiders (13-10, 1-3).  Trailing by two runs with two outs in the top of the sixth inning, KU tallied four straight hits and plated five runs.
 
Brandon Shurr (Bernville, PA/Schuylkill Valley) (Bernville, Pa./Schuylkill Valley), Cody Montz (Schuylkill Haven, PA/Schuylkill Haven) (Schuylkill Haven, Pa./Schuylkill Haven) and Corey Buletza (St. Clair, PA/Pottsville) (St. Clair, Pa./Pottsville) had three consecutive RBI singles to give KU a one run advantage after trailing 4-2 entering the sixth inning. Shayne Houck (Boyertown, PA/Boyertown) (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) brought his fellow teammates home with a double to help KU take a commanding 7-4 lead.
 
Freshman Connor Wing (West Chester, PA/Unionville) (West Chester, Pa./Unionville) relived KU starter J.R. Seader (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway/ Maryland-Baltimore County) (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway) in the top of the fifth and nearly took his team to the finish line.  He threw two innings of one-hit ball with a pair of strikeouts before being taken out in the seventh after letting the first two Raiders reach base.  Tom Neely (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Ryan) (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) took over for Wing and let up just one unearned run before helping KU to its sixth straight victory.
 
The win was Wing's second of the year while Neely picked up his first save.  In his third start of the year, Seader let up four runs on six hits with one strikeout.
 
Each team opened the day with two runs in the first inning.  For KU, Montz had a leadoff double and was knocked in the following at bat on Buletza's single.  Travis Kreitz (Gilbertsville, PA/Boyertown) (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown) also had a sacrifice fly in the inning. 
 
Shippensburg had a pair of runs in the first and fourth innings and put some pressure back on the Golden Bears.  It plated two in the first on a two-run homer by Kyle Hollingsworth, and two in the fourth on a two out double by Jimmy Spanos to score Eric Herman and Pat Kregeloh.  Spanos was the only Raider with two hits in the first game.
 
Jimmy Miller picked up the loss for the Raiders.  He threw 5.2 innings and allowed six earned runs off as many hits.  He issued four walks and struck out three KU batters.
 
Montz, Buletza, and Houck each had a multi-hit game in the opener.  Buletza and Houck each had a team-high two RBI. KU finished with nine hits and allowed seven.
 
Much like Friday's doubleheader, the second game turned into a pitchers' duel after an explosive opening game.  Kutztown's Trent Mertz (Kutztown, PA/Kutztown) (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) and Shippensburg's Tom Bush went toe for toe in the nightcap.  Mertz took a 1-0 lead into the bottom half of the sixth inning, but ran into some trouble.
 
Ship opened the sixth by putting its first four hitters on base with three singles and a hit batsman.  It drove in three runs on four hits in the inning to earn the late 3-1 advantage. 
 
Down to its final out, the Golden Bears refused to throw in the towel and hand Ship the win.  Ricky Gorrell (Royersford, PA/Spring-Ford) (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) earned a pinch-hit walk with two outs to bring the tying run to the plate.  Montz singled to center field and was followed by a Brett Hauck (Kutztown, PA/Kutztown) (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) hit by pitch to load the bases for Houck.  Unfortunately for KU, the late spark went out as a groundball to third base ended the late surge.    
 
Montz went 2-for-4 in the setback and was the only Golden Bear with a multi-hit game.  He also stole his team-leading eighth base of the season in the nightcap.
 
Junior Andrew Otterberg (Wall Township, N.J./Wall Township) (Wall Township, NJ/Wall Township) had an RBI single in the fifth inning and finished the day 1-for-2 at the plate.
 
Mertz kept KU in contention for most of the game, but simply couldn't find the answer in the sixth to push KU to a possible sweep over Shippensburg.  In his six innings on the mound, he allowed six hits and struck out four batters while walking two.
 
Spanos went 2-for-3 for Ship in the nightcap.  Bush picked up the win and let up just three hits while striking out three KU batters.  Tyler Basso came in to pitch the seventh and earned his first save of the season.
 
KU will play on Sunday in a nine-inning game against Philadelphia University.  First pitch on Mar. 17 is set for 3 p.m.