Box Score 1 | Box Score 2



KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Kutztown University pitchers Samantha Derr (Lititz, PA/Warwick) (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) and Mary Kociencki (Columbia, N.J./Sparta ) (Columbia, N.J./Sparta) held West Chester to just five total hits as the eighth ranked Golden Bears opened Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference action with a sweep of the Golden Rams.  KU held on in the opener for a 1-0 win, then downed WCU 2-1 in the nightcap.

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
 
With the wins, Kutztown improved to 24-1 on the year, extending the Golden Bears' win streak to 16 games.
 
Derr was masterful in game one, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning.  West Chester, however, loaded the bases with no one out to start the seventh.  Charlotte Conaway had an infield single to break up the no-hit attempt and KU failed to retire a batter on a fielder's choice by Jessica Russ, allowing Kelly Anderson's single to load the bases.
 
Derr buckled down and got Nicole Cruts to foul out to third.  Kelsey Hannold hit a ground ball to short, but Brianna Knipe (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) cut down Conaway at home for the second out.  Derr fielded a grounder by Abby Block to close out the opener. 
 
She improved to 12-0 on the year, striking out two batters.
 
KU had scored the game's only run in the second inning when Heather Hannum (Horsham, PA/Hatboro-Horsham) (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) led off the inning with a home run, depositing a 2-0 pitch over the fence in center field.
 
Hannum reached base in all three of her plate appearances in game with two hits and a walk.  Jackie Hetzler (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) (Turnersville, N.J./Washington Twp.), Kelly Strittmatter (Wyckoff, NJ/Indian Hills) (Wyckoff, N.J./Indian Hills) and Katie Lynch (Willow Street, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) (Willow Street, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) each had a hit for Kutztown.
 
Devon Utterback went the distance for the Golden Rams, but took the loss despite allowing just five hits and a walk over six innings, striking out four.
 
In the second game, Hannum started the scoring again.  Hetzler doubled to lead off the third inning and moved over to third on a bunt by Strittmatter.  With one out, Hannum's bunt got between the pitcher and the first baseman for a single, scoring Hetzler.  Lynch followed with a walk, but she and Hannum were left in scoring position as Utterback got out of the jam without more damage.
 
The Golden Rams answered back in the top of the fourth to tie the game.  Anderson singled to right field and moved up to second on an error.  Cruts followed with an RBI single to make it 1-1 before Kociencki forced a pair of infield fly outs to end the inning.
 
Kutztown quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the frame.  Morgan Booth (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) (Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) reached on a bunt single and stole second before Nicole Colineri (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood) bunted her over to third.  Hetzler drove her in on a single to center to put the Golden Bears ahead 2-1. 
 
West Chester threatened in the seventh.  Block singled and when Jillian Murray followed with a sacrifice, Block snuck all the way to third.  Jessica Schuck tried to squeeze Block home, but Strittmatter charged the play and shoveled the ball to Lynch at home for the second out.  After a KU error put runners on first and second, Kociencki got Norris to hit a looping liner to first to end the game.
 
Hetzler went 2-for-4 with a double, scored KU's first run and drove in the second.  Kelly Fitzgerald (Upper Darby, PA/Archbishop Prendergast) (Upper Darby, Pa./Archbishop Prendergast) and Derr each had two hits.  Hannum once again reached in all three of her plate appearances.  She singled in a run and walked twice. 
 
Kociencki allowed just three hits and struck out two to improve to 9-0 on the season. 
 
Utterback was the hard luck loser in game two.  She scattered eight Kutztown hits and three walks over six innings, allowing two runs and striking out two.
 
KU is back at home on Wednesday, March 28 at 3 p.m. in a non-conference doubleheader against Goldey-Beacom.