KUTZTOWN, Pa. (March 30, 2012)—The Kutztown University softball team extended its winning streak to 20 after sweeping Shippensburg University, 7-0 and 9-1 in a pair of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Division games at North Campus Field on Friday afternoon.

The Golden Bears (28-1 overall, 4-0 PSAC) are ranked sixth in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top 25 Poll.

KU used 22 hits in both games to oust the Red Raiders (8-16 overall, 1-4 PSAC). But KU softball wouldn't be KU softball if its offense didn't match its defense. Kutztown's defense held Shippensburg to just one run in both games.

The Golden Bears notched their 14th shutout of the season in the opening game. Pitcher Samantha Derr (Lititz, PA/Warwick) (Lititz, Pa./ Warwick) grabbed her 14th win of the season and tallied five strikeouts in the shutout. 

After seizing a 3-0 lead off four hits in the second inning, Brianna Knipe (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) (Bethlehem, Pa./ Liberty) led off the fourth inning with a solo home run to keep the Golden Bears moving. Maria Isgro (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) (Galloway, NJ/ Absegami) and Morgan Booth (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) (Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) reached on singles, putting KU in scoring position. Jackie Hetzler (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) (Turernsville, NJ/ Washington Twp.) drove in Isgro and Booth after a hard hit ball to left field tipped off Hilary Lyons' glove. With no outs and Hetzler on third, Kelly Strittmatter (Wyckoff, NJ/Indian Hills)'s (Wyckoff, NJ/ Indian Hills) groundout to second was enough for Hetzler to score.

Knipe was the only Golden Bear to finish with multiple hits, recording two. Knipe also finished with two runs and a RBI. Kelly Fitzgerald (Upper Darby, PA/Archbishop Prendergast) (Upper Darby, PA/Archbishop Prendergast) , Katie Lynch (Willow Street, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) (Willow Street, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg), Derr, Hetzler, Booth, and Isgro all recorded hits.

In the second game, the Red Raiders took a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the first inning but Kutztown immediately answered and scored two runs in the bottom of the first to take the 2-1 advantage.  KU's bats kept swinging and clung to a 5-1 lead by the fourth inning until Lynch blasted a homer, bringing in three runs.

In the sixth inning, with no outs and Nicole Colineri (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) (Scotch Plains, NJ/ Scotch Plains-Fanwood) and Hetzler in scoring position, Strittmatter used a double to drive in two runs, ending the game.

Hetzler was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run. Strittmatter, Booth, and Lynch each finished with two hits. Colineri, Fitzgerald, and Hannum each recorded a hit.

Pitcher Mary Kociencki (Columbia, N.J./Sparta ) (Columbia, NJ/ Sparta) recorded the win for the Golden Bears. Lizzy Parkins took the loss for Shippensburg.

Kutztown will head to Clarion University on Saturday, March 31 for a PSAC doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.