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KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Savannah Nierintz pitched a shutout in game two of the Kutztown University softball team's home-opening doubleheader against Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division opponent East Stroudsburg University on Wednesday afternoon. The Warriors took the first game, 3-0, but KU responded with a 4-0 outcome in the nightcap from North Campus Field.
 
Nierintz brought the heat for all seven innings of the nightcap, striking out eight and keeping East Stroudsburg (10-7, 3-3 PSAC E) off the scoreboard. She improves to 12-0 on the year and boasts a PSAC-leading 0.88 ERA.
 
The Kutztown (17-5, 5-1) offense did all of its damage in the bottom of the fifth, tallying three hits to piece together all four of the team's runs.
 
With two runners in scoring position, Sam Fraser smacked a double up the left field line past the third basemen to plate Gabby Tareila for KU's first run of the day. A wild pitch advanced all runners and allowed Casey Charterina to put Kuztown up 2-0. Bridget Newman followed up with a liner up the middle, good for one base and the final two runs.
 
The Golden Bears allowed only one single in the final two innings to close out the victory on their home field.
 
Pitching was also key in game one, as ESU's Allison Mende pitched seven scoreless innings to lead the Warriors to a 3-0 win. Mende surrendered four hits to KU and notched six strikeouts. She had 20 of her 27 first pitches called for strikes.
 
ESU scored all three of its runs in the third inning of the opener behind doubles from Kasey Meckes and Rae Holden.
 
Dominique Ficara got the start in the circle for the Maroon and Gold, with Mary Kociencki closing out the final four batters.
 
Newman and Colleen Smith each led the way with three hits on the day, and were the only Golden Bears to tally a multi-hit game. Fraser, Charterina, and Danielle Sienko all recorded a hit to fuel the KU attack.
 
Kutztown remains home the rest of this week, starting with Shippensburg University on Friday, April 3 for a doubleheader starting at 2:30 p.m. from North Campus Field.