KU vs. Georgian Court Box

KU vs. No. 21 Grand Valley State Box

CLERMONT, Fl. (March 9, 2012)—The Kutztown University softball team split a pair of games at the opening day of the National Training Center (NTC) Spring Break Games on Friday evening.

The Golden Bears (9-1 overall) closed the day by defeating Grand Valley State University, 1-0. Grand Valley who is ranked 21st in the National Fastpitch College Association (NFCA) Top 25 poll, suffered its first loss of the 2012 season at the hands of Kutztown.

In a tense, competitive game, it was freshman Kelly Strittmatter (Wyckoff, NJ/Indian Hills) (Wyckoff, NJ/ Indian Hills) who stepped up and put the Golden Bears on the board. In the bottom of the third inning, Strittmatter singled up the middle to score sophomore Samantha Derr (Lititz, PA/Warwick) who also reached on a single.

Kutztown's defense was able to keep Grand Valley State quiet on the bases as freshman Mary Kociencki (Columbia, N.J./Sparta ) (Columbia, NJ/ Sparta) threw all seven innings and recorded two strikeouts. Kociencki allowed five hits.

“Mary pitched phenomenal,” Kutztown University head coach Judy Lawes said. “She made big plays and had big pitches. Grand Valley is a good team but our defense was really key in this win.”

In their morning game, the Golden Bears fell to Georgian Court University 3-2. KU out hit GCU 10-6 but Georgian Court put up three runs in the first inning making it difficult for KU to make a comeback. However, Kutztown picked up a run in the fourth inning when senior Kelly Fitzgerald (Upper Darby, PA/Archbishop Prendergast) (Upper Darby, Pa./  Archbishop Prendergast) led off with a double and scored off junior Katie Lynch (Willow Street, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg)'s (Willow Street, Pa./ Lampeter-Strasburg) single to cut GCU's lead to 3-1.

Kutztown rallied again in the sixth inning, after Fitzgerald sent her ninth homer of the season sailing over the fence. 

Freshman Kiersten Cain (Bristol, PA/Bristol) (Bristol, Pa./ Bristol) took the loss for Kutztown.  Derr relieved Cain and recorded three strikeouts.

“We have two tough games tomorrow,” Lawes said. “We feel confident after the quality we displayed today over Grand Valley State.”

The Golden Bears take on Dowling College at 12:30 p.m. and the University of Massachusetts-Lowell at 2:30 on Saturday, March 10.