KU-UNC Pembroke HTML Box Score | KU-Coker HTML Box Score
 
PEMBROKE, N.C. – The Kutztown University softball team opened its season with a thrilling 13-10 victory over UNC Pembroke in nine innings, and closed the day with a 5-4 setback to Coker College at the first day of the UNC Pembroke Invitational.
 
The Golden Bears (1-1) scored in the final six innings of a nine-inning affair against UNC Pembroke in the season-opener for both teams. KU overcame a 3-0 deficit through three innings. Senior Colleen Smith capped off a 3-for-4 opener by driving in the game-winning run with a leadoff double in the ninth inning. Marissa Linquist walked with the bases loaded and freshman Asja Saito hit a sacrifice fly for KU's three winning runs.
 
Offense certainly dominated for both sides. There were 31 combined hits and 23 runs scored, as it did not take long for each team to get into a rhythm offensively.
 
Trailing 3-0 in the fourth, senior Mary Kociencki blasted a three-run homer to center field to tie the game at 3-3. It was her fifth career homer after four last season.
 
Freshmen Bridget Newman and Gabby Tareila drove in runs in the fifth inning. Pinch-runner Melissa Albe also scored on a double-steal attempt to give KU a 7-3 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth.
 
KU gave back all four runs in the fifth, forcing a third pitching change in the circle. The teams traded two-out RBI in the sixth and seventh innings, but UNC Pembroke tied the game while down to its final out as the runner from second scored on a single to beat the throw home.
 
Three of KU's freshmen teamed up to apply pressure back on the home team in the eighth. With the international tiebreaker rule in effect, putting Saito on second base to start the inning, Blayse Cholish sacrificed Saito to third, and Nicki Mann put the ball in play to score the run.
 
Pembroke once again tied the game, using two fly balls to advance the runner home. KU went on to win the game in the ninth inning.
 
In the nightcap against Coker (1-0), Kutztown took advantage of a first inning error with two outs to take a 2-0 lead. Coker answered to score five runs off three home runs, including the go-ahead three-run bomb by Taylor Barcomb in the fourth inning to take a 4-2 lead.
 
Saito and Krista Schauder responded with RBI in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively, in KU's one-run setback. Saito went 2-for-4 at the plate as KU's lone multi-hit player in the nightcap.
 
The Golden Bears close out the season-opening tournament with two games on Saturday, Feb. 7 against Concord at 9 a.m. and Winston-Salem State at 11 a.m.