Box Score 1 | Box Score 2



Kutztown 5, East Stroudsburg 4 (HTML Box Score)
 
East Stroudsburg 4, Kutztown 3 (HTML Box Score)
 
KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University softball team split a pair of one-run games against East Stroudsburg University on Saturday. It overcame a three-run deficit in the final inning of game one to pull out a 5-4 win in walk-off fashion, and nearly pulled off a similar comeback in a 4-3 game two setback at North Campus Field.
 
The Golden Bears (11-16, 5-5 PSAC East) committed two errors in the sixth inning of game one and gave up three unearned runs that gave the Warriors (9-14, 4-4) a 4-1 lead through six. Needing to overcome a three-run deficit in the final inning, Kutztown struck early in the inning by loading the bases with no outs.
 
Rachel Lawes (Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin) and Jackie Hetzler (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) hit back-to-back singles to open the inning, as Morgan Booth (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg)'s hit-by-pitch loaded the bases. Notably, all three Golden Bears reached base on the first pitch of their at-bat. Freshman Savannah Nierintz (Clifton Heights, Pa./Upper Darby) drove in two runs with a single to center field to cut the deficit to 4-3, still with no outs and forcing an ESU pitching change.
 
Booth advanced to third on Nierintz's outfield single, allowing Colleen Smith (Islip Terrace, NY/East Islip (Hofstra)) to drive her in on a game-tying sacrifice fly the following at-bat. It was a close play at the plate, but no tag was applied. Booth had actually not touched home plate on her initial slide attempt, but was advised by her teammates to scurry back and step on home plate several seconds after the play had ended.
 
Following a groundout, freshman Marka Ballard (Redwood City, CA/Mercy Burlingame) drove an 0-2 pitch off the left field wall, scoring Nierintz from second base and capping the four-run comeback.
 
Lawes and Hetzler each tabbed multi-hit games for KU with two apiece. Pitcher Dominique Ficara (Swedesboro, N.J./Kingsway Regional (Hofstra)) picked up the complete game victory as just one of her four runs allowed was earned. She struck out five batters and threw 138 pitches.
 
ESU leadoff hitter went 3-for-4 in the setback. Pitcher Rachael Liguori fell to 1-7 on the year despite an impressive opening five innings. She was credited with all five KU runs and allowed eight of Kutztown's nine hits to go along with six strikeouts.
 
The Golden Bear offense had trouble getting started in game two, recording just one hit through the first four innings. ESU opened up a 4-0 lead through five innings. KU loaded the bases with one out in the fifth, but managed just one run on a groundout by Lawes.
 
Kutztown continued its potential comeback with a pair of runs in the sixth inning. Danielle Sienko (Philadelphia, Pa./William Penn Charter) hit a RBI single with two outs, and Mary Kociencki (Columbia, N.J./Sparta ) walked in a run to pull KU with one (4-3).
 
Kutztown ended the top of the seventh with an energetic double play, but could not turn it into a run in the bottom half of the inning, giving ESU its first win over KU in four years.
 
Nierintz picked up 2.2 scoreless innings of relief for KU, as Kociencki was tabbed with the loss. Laura Suits earned the win with three earned runs in 5.2 innings. Allison Mende earned the save with 1.1 innings of relief.
 
The Golden Bears remain home on Monday, April 7 to take on Shippensburg University in a doubleheader beginning at 2:30 p.m.