SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. (April 20, 2012)—The Kutztown University softball team saw its 33-game winning streak snapped after dropping a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Shippensburg University in Game 2 of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East division doubleheader at Robb Field on Friday afternoon.

The Golden Bears (41-2 overall, 13-1 PSAC) moved to fourth in this week's National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top 25 poll.  KU extended the winning streak to 33 after taking a 4-2 decision over the Red Raiders (17-23 overall, 6-8 PSAC) in Game 1. The previous winning streak was the longest in program history and the third longest in PSAC history. Friday's loss is the first time during the 2012 season that KU has remained scoreless in a game.

Despite splitting the doubleheader with Shippensburg, the Golden Bears have already clinched the PSAC East division and will be the No.1 seed heading into next week's conference championships.

In Game 1, it was junior Katie Lynch (Willow Street, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) (Willow Street, Pa./ Lampeter-Strasburg) who lifted Kutztown to a 1-0 advantage in the second inning after belting a solo home run to left field. Lynch leads the team in homers with 11. She is currently on a 13-game hitting streak which is the longest for a KU player this season.  The Red Raiders reacted with two runs in the bottom of the second after Rachel Shumway led off with a single to left field. Maddie Justice was hit by pitch, moving runners to first and second. Kirsten McClune then reached on an error, allowing Shumway to score and tie the game.  A single from Kiersten Darhower later in the inning allowed McClune to score and put Shippensburg up 2-1.

Morgan Booth (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) (Stroudsburg, Pa. Stroudsburg) and Jackie Hetzler (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) (Turnersville, NJ/ Washington Twp.) started the fifth inning off by reaching on a walk and a single to centerfield respectively. Kelly Strittmatter (Wyckoff, NJ/Indian Hills) (Wyckoff, NJ/ Indian Hills) reached on an error to load the bases for Kelly Fitzgerald (Upper Darby, PA/Archbishop Prendergast) (Upper Darby, Pa./ Archbishop Pendergast) who used a sac fly to even the score 2-2. Another Shippensburg error allowed Hetzler and Strittmatter to score, giving KU the 4-2 advantage.

Samantha Derr (Lititz, PA/Warwick) (Lititz, Pa./Warwick), Lynch, and Hetzler finished with two hits each.

Derr recorded her 24th win and held Shippensburg to just five hits. Lizzy Parking took the loss for the Red Raiders. Parkins finished with six strikeouts. 

In Game 2, both teams finished with only five hits each. However, the Red Raiders used three hits in the fifth inning to grasp the 1-0 lead. Shippensburg kept the Golden Bears silent until the seventh inning when they almost tied the game. With one out, Lynch doubled down the left field line to give KU some momentum. Elizabeth Kangas (Douglassville, PA/Daniel Boone) (Douglassville, Pa./ Daniel Boone) pinch ran for Lynch and moved to third after Derr singled to right field. With the tying run on third, Heather Hannum (Horsham, PA/Hatboro-Horsham) (Horsham, Pa./ Hatboro-Horsham) flied out to center field and Kangas tried to score but was thrown out at home to end the game.

Strittmatter and Derr recorded two hits each in the loss.

Mary Kociencki (Columbia, N.J./Sparta ) (Columbia, NJ/ Sparta) finished with a game-high six strikeouts. Kociencki is now 9-1 on the season. Makenzie Lynn recorded the win for Shippensburg.

.Kutztown will host East Stroudsburg University for its final PSAC East Division game of the regular season on Saturday, April 21 at 11 a.m. on North Campus Field. KU will also honor its three seniors, Nicole Colineri (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) (Scotch Plains, NJ/ Scotch Plains-Fanwood), Hannum, and Fitzgerald on Saturday.