WILSON, N.C. - The Kutztown University baseball team split its pair of games Wednesday, winning the opener against Barton College 4-3 before dropping the nightcap to Clarion University 8-2.
In the first game, the Golden Bears jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning off of RBIs from
Mike Milazzo (Titusville, N.J./Notre Dame) and
Kyle Rogers (Hazleton, Pa./Hazleton Area). Barton responded with one run in the bottom half of the inning, and added two more in the sixth to take a 3-2 lead. Kutztown would quickly jump ahead again in the top of the seventh off of an RBI single by
Bo Rottet (Tamaqua, Pa./Tamaqua). On the same play, a throwing error allowed
Mike White (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) to come around to score to put Kutztown up 4-3.
Anthony DeVito (Philadelphia, Pa./Central (Mercer County C.C.)) came into the game in the eighth-inning and shut out Barton over the final two frames to close out the win and pick up his second save of the season.
Dave King (Zerbe, Pa./Minersville) got the victory (his second), pitching a scoreless inning in relief.
The win completed a three-game sweep for KU over Barton. The Golden Bears took two games of a doubleheader against BC the day before.
In the second game, Kutztown found itself in a 2-2 battle for much of the evening. Milazzo started off the first inning with an RBI single to put KU up 1-0. Clarion (2-6) responded with a run in both the bottom of the second and third to take a 2-1 lead. The Golden Bears again responded right away, with a passed ball scoring
Ben Eppley (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley (Frederick C.C.)) to knot it back up at two. The wheels feel off for the Golden Bears in the eighth, as Clarion scored six runs off of four errors to get the 8-2 victory.
Milazzo led the Kutztown offense, going a combined 3-for-7 with two RBIs and a run scored. Rogers finished the first game 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Kutztown is now 9-7 on the year, and 6-2 on its current spring break trip. The Golden Bears have won five of their past six games.
Kutztown has the day off tomorrow before returning to the diamond to kickoff conference play with a doubleheader against Lock Haven University Friday, March 11 at Fleming Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
