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Game 2 WILSON, N.C. – The Kutztown University baseball team continues to roll at the onset of the 2015 season, but had two close contests on Tuesday afternoon. The Golden Bears needed extra innings to take down Barton College in the opener of the doubleheader, 6-5, then got off to a fast start in the nightcap to secure a 4-3 win over the Bulldogs.
Kutztown improves to 7-0 this season with Tuesday's doubleheader sweep over Barton (9-10). The seven-game win streak is Kutztown's best start to a season since it went 8-0 to start the 2010 season.
In the opener, Kutztown appeared to be cruising to victory with a 4-0 lead following the top of the sixth in a seven inning format, but Barton kicked off the bottom of the inning with four-straight hits that would lead to four runs scored and a tie ball game to force extra innings.
Brandon Hickey made his way home in the top of the eighth to give KU a one-point cushion, but the Bulldogs knotted it back up off of a Kutztown throwing error. Newcomer
Matthew Armour closed things out in the ninth, smacking a double to left center to bring
Ben Eppley home from second base for the sixth and final run.
Armour tallied three hits with two RBI in the opener followed by
Brandon Martinez and
Brandon Cholish each recording two hits apiece.
Paul Piromalli got the start on the mound for the Golden Bears, pitching the first five innings with four hits allowed and four strikeouts.
Matt Swarmer closed out the final two innings to receive the win, striking out three in the process.
The Maroon and Gold came out swinging in the nightcap, putting up three runs in the first inning.
Brady McNab, Martinez, and Armour hit singles in the top of the first to keep the Golden Bears moving around the base paths.
The Bulldogs responded with a run in the first and second innings to keep Kutztown close.
Drew DeShong smacked his first career home run in the top of the fourth to extend Kutztown's lead to 4-2. The Bulldogs managed one more run to cross the plate in the bottom of the sixth from a lead-off homer, but the Golden Bear pitching staff closed out to preserve the win.
McNab was the only Golden Bear to record a multi-hit game in the nightcap, while Martinez, Armour, DeShong, and
Travis Kreitz accounted for the RBI.
Pat Flynn pitched the first five innings in the win, striking out five.
Dave King closed out the final two Barton batters in the seventh to earn his third save of the season.
The Golden Bears will square off with the Bulldogs again tomorrow, Wednesday, March 11 starting at 2 p.m.
