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Game 1 |
Game 2 EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. – The Kutztown University softball team led for the entirety of the opener on Saturday afternoon, until East Stroudsburg University scored four runs in the bottom half of the final inning to shock Kutztown, 5-4. The Golden Bears bounced back in the nightcap of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division doubleheader, winning 5-1 to secure the split from ESU's Zimba Field.
Kutztown (28-13, 14-9 PSAC E) started off strong at the plate in both games, while East Stroudsburg (18-13, 11-9) saved all of its runs for the end of the contests.
In the opener, the Golden Bears immediately fell into their groove at the plate, recording four singles to plate the first two runs in the first inning. KU extended its lead to 3-0 in the fourth off a
Marissa Linquist sacrifice fly.
The Golden Bears gave up a solo home run in the sixth, but
Blayse Cholish's RBI-single in the top of the seventh earned the run back.
Trailing 4-1 in the bottom of the seventh, ESU started off with two walks and a fielder's choice to put KU in a bind. With the bases loaded and no outs, ESU's Cara Woods RBI-singled to advance all runners, followed by a groundout that still plated a score (4-3). With two runners in scoring position, the Warriors' Haley Thomas hit a walk-off, two-RBI double to complete the comeback for the home team.
Savannah Nierintz started in the circle for the Golden Bears, pitching the first six innings with four strikeouts and two runs against.
Dominique Ficara received the loss after coming in for the final five batters.
Kutztown swiftly regrouped, and started off game two with a quick, 3-0 advantage.
Asja Saito scored on a balk in the first inning, and
Danielle Sienko's single to left field drove in
Danielle Amato. In the second inning, an infield error during the lead-off at-bat put KU in scoring position, allowing Cholish to bring home pinch-runner
Melissa Albe for her second run of the day.
The Maroon and Gold struck again in the fourth.
Bridget Newman led off with a double, and Cholish recorded her second RBI of the game - third of the day – with her second triple of the season.
Colleen Smith pushed KU's lead to 5-0 in the fifth with a solo home run, her third homer in the last four doubleheaders. The Warriors plated their lone run in the bottom of the seventh, but could not pull off a similar comeback conquest.
Ficara improved to 10-8 in the circle after the nightcap, finalizing her 13th complete game of the season. She struck out three batters and surrendered nine hits.
Cholish finished the day 4-for-8 at the plate with a team-high three RBI as the leadoff batter. Amato also went 4-for-8 following a three-hit outing in the opener, and Newman tallied three total hits.
The Golden Bears return to action Monday, April 20 when they travel to Philadelphia for a non-conference doubleheader with Chestnut Hill College beginning at 2:30 p.m.
