HTML Box Scores: Game 1 vs. Conn | Game 2 vs. Northern
 
CLERMONT, Flor. – Krista Schauder hit the game-winning home run to lift the Kutztown University softball team to a 9-7 victory over Concordia-St. Paul in the opener, and sophomore Savannah Nierintz threw six innings of three-hit ball as KU shutout Northern State 2-0 in the nightcap of a late Sunday night in Florida.
 
In Kutztown's 9-7 win over Concordia-St. Paul, the game got crazy early as both teams scored six runs in the second inning. The high run output was built on four combined errors. KU's first two runners reached base by way of fielding errors, and following a wild pitch to put both runners in scoring position, Blayse Cholish drove in both with a two-run single. Colleen Smith had a two-run single up the middle, and Schauder hit a two-run double to right-center field to give KU a 7-1 lead through the top of the second.
 
Unfortunately for KU, fielding errors became contagious in the bottom half of the second inning. Concordia scored six runs – five unearned – to bring its deficit back to one at 7-6.
 
Things cooled down from there, as it took until the fifth inning for Concordia to tie the game at 7-7 off a solo home run.
 
Schauder made the difference in the opener in her last at-bat of the game. Bridget Newman opened the inning with a single down the left field line. Two batters later, Schauder blasted a two-run, game-winning homer to give KU a 9-7 lead. It marked the first home run of her career.
 
Concordia loaded the bases with one out in the seventh inning, but pitcher Savannah Nierintz kept the opposing team at bay with a swinging strikeout and a groundout to second base to end the game.
 
Nierintz pitched 2.2 innings of relief to pick up the win. She allowed five hits, no runs, with five strikeouts. Cholish and Schauder each had multi-hit games for KU, as Schauder led the way with four RBI.
 
Nierintz dominated in the circle in Kutztown's 2-0 win over Northern State in the nightcap on Sunday night, which started around 8:50 p.m. She pitched six shutout innings and allowed three hits while striking out four batters. She moves to 5-0 on the year after just two wins last season.
 
Dominique Ficara came in to pitch the seventh inning and retired the side in order for her first save of the year.
 
Kutztown scored both of its runs in the second inning. Newman opened the inning with a double to center field. She was pinch ran for by Casey Charterina, who scored two batters later on a RBI single by Marissa Linquist. Linquist then stole second base, and with two outs, was driven in by Sam Fraser.
 
Kutztown is 4-0 in Florida so far, will take Monday off from competition, and returns to action on Tuesday, March 10 with two night games beginning at 5 p.m.