Box Score 1 | Box Score 2



Mansfield 5, Kutztown 2 (HTML Box Score)
 
Mansfield 3, Kutztown 1 (HTML Box Score)
 
KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University softball team fell behind early in game one, and suffered a setback in extra innings in game two as it dropped a pair of games to Mansfield University on Wednesday afternoon in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division doubleheader at North Campus Field.
 
Kutztown dropped game one, 5-2, and game two, 3-1 in eight innings.
 
The parity could not be greater in the PSAC East. With Wednesday's results, six of the eight teams hold a .500 record. West Chester leads the way at 8-2 and Lock Haven sits at 1-7. With the win, the Golden Bears (10-15, 4-4 PSAC East) and Mounties (11-5, 3-3) joined the middle of the pack in what should be an entertaining race to the finish.
 
Mansfield struck for three runs in the first inning and a two-run home run to hold a 5-1 lead through two innings. It was all the runs it would need as KU managed just two runs in the opener. Senior first baseman Colleen Smith (Islip Terrace, NY/East Islip (Hofstra)) drove in both runs with a RBI single in the first inning and a solo home run in the sixth. Freshman Savannah Nierintz (Clifton Heights, Pa./Upper Darby) also had a multi-hit game for KU.
 
Game two proved to be a pitcher's duel that ultimately came down to extra innings. KU's Dominique Ficara (Swedesboro, N.J./Kingsway Regional (Hofstra)) and MU's Emily Crandell kept the game scoreless through the first five innings, highlighted by Ficara's no-hitter through five.
 
Kutztown senior Jackie Hetzler (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) hit a two-out single in the fifth inning to score Stephanie DiNolfi (Norristown, PA/Norristown) from second base and give KU a 1-0 lead. With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Mansfield's Courtney Bauder hit a looping single to right field to score the runner from second base and tie the game heading to the seventh inning.
 
Mansfield scored both of its runs in the eighth inning with two outs. Following a single through the right side, Bauder drove in her second run of the game with a deep double that barely landed in fair territory down the left field line to score the runner from first. Kate Pratt followed with a single to the outfield. Bauder was thrown out at the plate by a great throw from Hetzler, but an obstruction call on the KU shortstop plated the run and gave Mansfield a 3-1 lead.
 
Kutztown put two of its first three batters on base in the bottom of the eighth, but ended the game with a fly-out and strikeout.
 
In eight innings, Ficara was tabbed with the loss by allowing three runs, two earned, and six hits. MU's Crandell won her fourth game of the year with no earned runs, six hits and six strikeouts.
 
The Golden Bears hit the road this weekend for a pair of PSAC East doubleheaders. They play at Bloomsburg University on Friday, April 4 at 2:30 p.m. and at East Stroudsburg University on Saturday, April 5 at 1 p.m.