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SALEM, VA – Senior shortstop
Brianna Knipe (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) went 3-for-4 with three RBI at the plate to lead the Kutztown University softball team to a 6-4 victory over Winston-Salem State University Friday night in the opening game of the Salem Tournament.
The Golden Bears (6-2) got on the board first with a two RBI double from Knipe in the second inning, scoring
Maria Isgro (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) and
Rachel Lawes (Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin) to give KU the 2-0 lead. Isgro walked earlier in the inning, and Lawes pinch-ran for
Nicole Henninger (Reading, PA./Muhlenberg) who walked as well.
Winston-Salem (13-11) responded with a run in the bottom half of the second off a home run by Andreya O'Brien. It was KU pitcher
Mary Kociencki (Columbia, N.J./Sparta )'s only flaw of the evening as she allowed just one run and three hits in three innings of work.
Kutztown tacked on four runs in the fifth inning to give it some insurance. Henninger and Knipe each had RBI doubles in the inning with Knipe's coming with two outs. Isgro and junior
Morgan Booth (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) also knocked in runs in the inning.
Dominique Ficara (Swedesboro, N.J./Kingsway Regional (Hofstra)) took over for Kociencki in the fourth and helped Kutztown pick up the victory. Despite allowing two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh, Ficara struck out three Rams over four innings while allowing three hits and three runs.
Friday night marked Knipe's seventh career three-hit game and second consecutive this season. Junior
Jackie Hetzler (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) also had a multi-hit game with a 2-for-4 performance. Kutztown tallied 10 hits as a team and surrendered seven to Winston-Salem.
Brittany Lane picked up the loss for the Rams and pitched a complete game. She had two strikeouts, but walked four batters as three of her six runs were earned. Leadoff hitter Monet Daly was 2-for-3.
The Golden Bears return to action on Saturday, Mar. 16 for a pair of games at the Salem Tournament. They play Shepherd University at 11 a.m., and Seton Hill University at 1 p.m.
