Box Score 1 | Box Score 2



Kutztown 1, Mansfield 0 (HTML Box Score)
 
Mansfield 5, Kutztown 3 (HTML Box Score)
 
MANSFIELD, Pa. – Senior Morgan Booth (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) hit a home run in the first inning of the opening game of a doubleheader against Mansfield University on Friday. Not only did it mark the Kutztown University softball team's only run of the game, but it was also it's only hit of the opener in a 1-0 victory. KU fell in the nightcap, 5-3.
 
The Golden Bears (15-24, 7-13 PSAC East) snapped a six-game skid with the opening victory. Booth's homer was with one out in the first inning, and was the only run support KU starting pitcher Dominique Ficara (Swedesboro, N.J./Kingsway Regional (Hofstra)) would need for the shutout victory. It was Kutztown's first win with one or fewer hits since the 1997 season, when it won a 1-0 game despite a no-hitter thrown by Shippensburg.
 
In seven innings, Ficara allowed three hits and tallied five strikeouts with no walks. She evened her record at 11-11 and picked up her third shutout of the season, the 12th of her career.
 
Mansfield pitcher Kate Pratt suffered the rare complete game loss while only allowing one hit. She had three strikeouts and one walk.
 
Mary Kociencki (Columbia, N.J./Sparta ) gave KU a 1-0 lead in the second inning of the second game with a two-out solo home run. Savannah Nierintz (Clifton Heights, Pa./Upper Darby) started the nightcap in the circle, but lasted just 1.1 innings after allowing three of Mansfield's five runs in the bottom of the second inning.  
 
Despite the four-run deficit, the Golden Bears avenged the hole with some offense over the next two innings. KU scored on a wild pitch in the third, got a two-run single from Jackie Hetzler (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) in the fourth, and scored an unearned run off a potential double play ball later in the fourth. On a ground ball back to the pitcher with one out, the throw went home for the force out, but the catcher threw the ball into right field on the potential double play throw to score the game-tying run from third.
 
Mansfield took the lead with a two-out single in the fifth inning, and scored an insurance run with a two-out double in the sixth inning. KU had no hits and one base runner in the final two innings.
 
The Golden Bears remain on the road on Saturday, April 19, when they travel to Lock Haven University for a 1 p.m. start.