DAY 3 VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS | PHOTOS | POST-GAME INTERVIEW
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (May 16, 2012)—Brianna Knipe (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty)'s (Bethlehem, Pa/ Liberty) three-run homer lifted the Kutztown University softball team to a 4-0 win over Augustana College in the first round of the NCAA Division II Championship Wednesday afternoon at Knights Field.
The Golden Bears (51-5) scored all of their runs in the second inning. With one out,
Samantha Derr (Lititz, PA/Warwick) (Lititz, Pa./ Warwick) got KU rolling with a single to center field.
Maria Isgro (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) (Galloway, NJ/ Absegami) drew a walk to put the Golden Bears on first and second base. Without any hesitation, Knipe sent the first pitch sailing over the left-center fence to take the 3-0 lead.
Kutztown wasn't done yet.
Jackie Hetzler (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) (Turnersville, NJ/ Washington Twp.) doubled down the right field line and moved to third base after a single from
Morgan Booth (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) (Stroudsburg, Pa./ Stroudsburg). Hetzler used her speed to score KU's fourth run from
Kelly Strittmatter (Wyckoff, NJ/Indian Hills), (Wyckoff, NJ/Indian Hills) who grounded out to the pitcher.
After a huge inning by KU, the Vikings (53-11) tried to connect their hits but were unable to as the recently named Daktronics Division II All-American Pitcher of the Year,
Samantha Derr (Lititz, PA/Warwick), kept them off the bases. Alongside her pitching, stood a remarkable defensive unit that made several dynamic plays against the Vikings, including a triple play in the second inning. KU's defense was rock solid and didn't allow any Viking to advance past second base throughout the game.
Kutztown notched its 22nd shutout of the season, while Derr recorded her 12th shutout in the circle. She improved to 29-3 on the year. Her 29 wins are a single-season record. Derr pitched a complete game and tossed 79 pitches. Augustana tallied just four hits.
Ashley Meyer recorded the loss for Augstana. Meyer recorded five strikeouts as the Vikings' defense committed four errors.
The Golden Bears will face the winner of the UC-San Diego-Valdosta State game on Thursday, May 17 at 3 p.m. at Knights Field.
