Photo Gallery | Championship Central
 
QUAKERTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University softball team began its journey at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships on Thursday morning from Veterans Park in Quakertown. The third-seeded Golden Bears out of the East surrendered 11 hits to second-seeded Seton Hill University from the West in a 5-1 setback in the opening game of the tournament.
 
In the double-elimination style tournament, the Golden Bears will return to action at 4 p.m. later this afternoon in a win-or-go home matchup against Indiana (PA).
 
Freshman Danielle Amato certainly put in a solid effort to carry the Kutztown (30-17) offense. After Seton Hill (31-11-1) posted the first three runs of the game in the bottom of the third, Amato led off the top off the fourth with a triple just inside the first-base foul line. Colleen Smith stepped up to the plate next, sending what seemed to be a potential sacrifice fly to centerfield. Victoria Stock made the routine catch and fired in a perfect throw to the catcher to tag Amato out at home and force the critical double-play.
 
Two Kutztown errors led to the Griffins tacking on two unearned runs for a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth.
 
After a strikeout and a pop up placed KU in a two-out hole to lead off the sixth, Amato launched a solo home run to left field for her fifth of the season. The All-PSAC Second Team designated hitter finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate and accounted for half of Kutztown's hits.
 
Juniors Danielle Sienko and Rachel Lawes tallied KU's other two hits.
 
Kutztown placed a runner on third in both the second and third innings, but with two outs each time, a pop out retired the side before KU could plate a run.
 
Dominique Ficara pitched a complete game in the Golden Bears' setback. She notched one strikeout and two of the runs scored against were earned.
 
Seton Hill pitcher Christine Henderson had quite the day on both sides of the ball. She also tossed a complete game, striking out one batter and forcing Kutztown into 17 fly outs to improve to 12-3 on the season. At the plate, she batted 4-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Stock went 3-for-4 with two runs scored.