HTML Box Score WILSON, N.C. – The second inning of Kutztown University's baseball game against Clarion University on Monday opened with a home run, and closed as a 12-run inning to highlight a 16-4 Kutztown victory for KU's fifth straight win to open the season.
Kutztown's 12-run inning marked the most runs it scored in an inning since Feb. 17, 2011, when it scored 15 in the fifth inning of a 22-1 win over Lock Haven at the Builder Invitational.
The five-game win streak is Kutztown's best start to a season since it went 8-0 to start the 2010 season. Notably, KU scored double-digit runs in all eight of those victories.
Ryan Cox hit a leadoff homer to open the second inning. KU then loaded the bases with a Clarion error involved, as
Ricky Gorrell extended the lead to three with a two-run single.
Travis Kreitz hit a sacrifice fly that nearly went over the wall for a grand slam for a 4-0 lead, Gorrell scored on a balk, Cox came up for the second time of the inning and drove a two-run single for a seven-run advantage,
Derian Sarlat walked in a run, and Gorrell notched his second two-run hit of the inning to give KU a 10-0 lead, chasing the second Clarion pitcher of the inning.
Brady McNab capped the inning with a two-run single to give Kutztown a 12-0 lead through the top of the second.
Clarion took back two runs in the second and fourth innings, including a two-run homer in the fourth, to cut its deficit to 12-4 through four.
Kutztown's final four runs came in the eighth inning, as McNab, Cox and
Matthew Armour all drove in runs for a 16-4 KU lead.
Peter Masterson picked up the win on the mound for KU. He pitched five innings and allowed six hits and four runs.
Eric Moul came on in relief and pitched four shutout innings with five strikeouts.
Through five games, Kutztown's bullpen of eight holds a combined earned run average of 0.44 in 20.2 innings with 27 strikeouts and eight walks.
The Golden Bears get away from neutral site contests and take on Barton College for three games over the next two days, beginning with a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 10 beginning at 1 p.m.
