CLARION, Pa. (March 31, 2012)—The Kutztown University softball team swept Clarion University in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC)  two-game series at Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Golden Bears (30-1 overall, 6-0 PSAC) took a 9-1 win in the opening game and an 8-3 decision in the closer to extend its winning streak to 22. Kutztown is currently ranked sixth in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top 25 Poll.

KU has had back-to-back series of 20 or more hits following Saturday's sweep. In both games on Saturday Kutztown tallied 21 hits. The Golden Eagles fell to 7-13 overall and 0-4 in the PSAC.

Jackie Hetzler (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) (Turnersville, NJ/ Washington Twp.) got KU going in the first game after reaching on a single in the third inning. After stealing second base and advancing to third on a groundout, Kelly Fitzgerald (Upper Darby, PA/Archbishop Prendergast) (Upper Darby, PA/ Archbishop Prendergast) drove Hetzler in, to take the 1-0 lead.  In the fifth inning, Morgan Booth (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) (Stroudsburg, PA/ Stroudsburg) reached on a double and nudged in a steal to third. With one out, it was Hetzler again who led the attack and doubled to score Booth, putting Kutztown up 2-0.

Clarion answered with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth from T. Sherry, cutting KU's lead to 2-1.  However, the Golden Bears responded with three runs off three hits in the sixth to extend their advantage to 5-1.  In the seventh inning, KU took full reign and scored four runs off three hits to seize the 9-1 win.

Heather Hannum (Horsham, PA/Hatboro-Horsham) (Horsham, PA/ Hatboro-Horsham), Maria Isgro (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) (Galloway, NJ/Absegami), Brianna Knipe (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) (Bethlehem, PA/ Liberty), and Hetzler all tallied two hits each. Isgro finished with three RBIs and Knipe had two.

Freshman Tori Marcavage (Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley) (Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley)  recorded the win for KU. She tallied three strikeouts. Samantha Derr (Lititz, PA/Warwick)  (Lititz, PA/ Warwick) also saw time in three innings and struck out six.

S. Crago took the loss for the Golden Eagles.

In the second game, Katie Lynch (Willow Street, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) (Willow Street, PA/ Lampeter-Strasburg) was 4-for-4 including a home run and a triple. Lynch also chipped in two runs and two RBIs.

KU took the early 3-0 lead in the first inning, following hits from Lynch, Derr, and Hannum. Lynch appeared again in the third inning and went the distance to belt a two-run homer giving KU the 5-0 advantage.  The Golden Eagles responded with three runs off two hits and two KU errors to slice KU's lead to 5-3. However both Kutztown's offense and defense tightened up to keep Clarion scoreless for the remainder of the game. The Golden Bears put up three rooms in the fourth to seal the deal with an 8-3 win.

Hannum finished with two hits and two RBIs. Hetzler, Kelly Strittmatter (Wyckoff, NJ/Indian Hills) (Wyckoff, NJ/ Indian Hills), Derr, and Nicole Colineri (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) (Scotch Plains, NJ/ Scotch Plains-Fanwood) each record a hit.

Stephanie Pritchard (Parkesburg, PA/Octorara) (Parkesburg, PA/ Octorara) recorded her first win of the season. She pitched a complete game that included five strikeouts.

C. Zola recorded the loss for Clarion.

The Golden Bears host Millersville University on Tuesday, March 3 for a PSAC doubleheader beginning at 2:30 p.m.