HTML Box Scores: Game 1 | Game 2
 
LYON STATION, Pa. – Dominique Ficara threw a one-hit shutout and Colleen Smith hit a walk-off single in a 1-0 eight inning victory in game one. Savannah Nierintz moved to 11-0 in the circle with a 6-1 win in game two in a doubleheader with Mansfield University on Sunday afternoon at a neutral site of Lyon Station, Pa.
 
Also on Sunday, KU announced that its doubleheader at Lock Haven University on Monday, March 30 has been postponed to Monday, April 6. Game time remains at 2:30 p.m.
 
The Golden Bears (16-4, 4-0 PSAC East) won their sixth game in a row and fourth Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division game to open conference play. KU's 16-4 start is its best since going 41-1 to start the 2012 season. That team finished 52-7.
 
Ficara allowed a two-out single in the first inning of game one, and it ended  up being her only allowed hit of the game. She allowed a walk in the third inning, but ended the game retiring the final 17 batters.
 
It was her first shutout of the season, the 14th of her career, and her first since throwing shutouts on back-to-back days on April 18-19, 2014. Her 14 career shutouts move her into sixth in KU history.
 
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Blayse Cholish and Asja Saito hit back-to-back singles with one out, as a groundball the next at-bat moved the runners over into scoring position. With two outs, Smith ripped a single to center field to score Cholish for the walk-off victory. It was Smith's second hit of the game.
 
Smith gave Kutztown the early lead in the first inning of game two with a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 advantage. It was the first of her two RBI of the game as she also hit a RBI single in the third inning for a 2-0 lead.
 
Marissa Linquist hit her first career home run on Sunday with a solo shot in the fourth inning to stretch Kutztown's lead to 3-0. The runs continued to pour on in the fifth inning with a two-run single from Krista Schauder, the PSAC East Athlete of the Week, and an RBI single from Bridget Newman for a 6-0 lead.
 
Nierintz, the PSAC East Pitcher of the Week, allowed one run on Sunday with a two-out RBI single in the sixth inning. Her complete game performance moved her to 11-0 on the season as she finished with nine strikeouts.
 
With Kutztown's postponed game on Monday, it returns to action on Tuesday, March 31 at home against East Stroudsburg University at 2:30 p.m. KU is hopeful it will play its first game of the year at North Campus Field, but stay tuned to www.KUBears.com for any schedule updates throughout the week.