Box Score



KUTZTOWN, Pa. – With the potential tying run on third base, Kutztown's Jason Henderson (Douglassville, PA/Daniel Boone) (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone) struck out the final two batters to lock down a 5-4 win for the Golden Bears in non-conference action. 
 
KU (22-9) took a 1-0 lead in the second inning.  Matt Albaugh (Hatfield, PA/North Penn) (Hatfield, Pa./North Penn) led off the inning with a double down the left field line and moved to third on a single by Corey Buletza (St. Clair, PA/Pottsville) (St. Clair, Pa./Pottsville).  Two batters later, Todd Rubendall (Collegeville, PA/Methacton) (Collegeville, Pa./Methacton), knocked a one-out single through the middle to bring Albaugh home.
 
The Wildcats (18-13) answered quickly, scoring twice in their next at bat.  Brandon Payne singled to lead off the inning and later scored on BJ Janney's single to left.  Janney stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a double by Joe Harbach. 
 
Kutztown's offense responded with two runs in the bottom of the third to claim a 3-2 lead.  Cody Montz (Schuylkill Haven, PA/Schuylkill Haven) (Schuylkill Haven, Pa./Schuylkill Haven) led off the inning with a single to center field and Brett Hauck (Kutztown, PA/Kutztown) (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) drove him in with a double to left center.  Albaugh knocked in Hauck later in the inning with a sacrifice fly for the second run of the frame.
 
The two teams continued to trade runs in the fourth inning.  Jordan Oncay walked to lead off for Wilmington in the top half and later scored on a bunt by Frank Samluk to tie the score at 3-3.  KU reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the inning when Brandon Shurr (Bernville, PA/Schuylkill Valley) (Bernville, Pa./Schuylkill Valley) drove in Sean McCormick (West Chester, PA/Henderson) (West Chester, Pa./Henderson).
 
The Golden Bears got some breathing room in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Buletza that brought home Montz.  After Montz reached and stole second, Wilmington walked Shayne Houck (Boyertown, PA/Boyertown) (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) intentionally.  After Tyler Fries threw the ball away on a pickoff attempt to move both runners into scoring position, the Wildcats walked Albaugh to load the bases and set up Buletza'a sacrifice fly.
 
An RBI double by Oncay cut the KU lead to 5-4 going into the final inning. With one out in the top of the ninth, Payne tripled to right center to put the tying run 90 feet from home plate.  But Henderson got Kyle Hitchens swinging for the second out, the struck out Joe El-Bisi looking for his fourth save.
 
Montz had three hits, scored twice, doubled and stole a base in the win.  Hauck and Rubendall also had multi-hit games. 
 
Dominick Ruscitti (Washingtonville, NY/Washingtonville-Newbaugh/Dominican College) (Washingtonville, N.Y./Washingtonville-Newbaugh) started and was the first of six Golden Bears to take the mound in the game.  Ruscitti went three innings and allowed two runs on three hits, while striking out one. 
 
Tom Neely (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Ryan) (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) got the win to improve to 4-0 after allowing one run in the fourth before KU took the lead for good in the bottom of the inning.  Connor Wing (West Chester, PA/Unionville) (West Chester, Pa./Unionville) and Damon Valloreo (Vincentown, N.J./Burlington CCC) (Vincentown, N.J./Seneca) combined to keep the Wildcats scoreless in the fifth and sixth.  Trent Mertz (Kutztown, PA/Kutztown) (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) pitched the seventh and eighth and allowed a run before Henderson pitched a scoreless ninth.
 
Ray Gambone took the loss as the second of six Wilmington hurlers.  He allowed one run in three innings. 
 
Janney, Harbach and Payne each had two hits for the Wildcats.
 
KU continues non-conference play with a game at Penn State-Berks on April 12 at 3:30 p.m.