CLERMONT, Fla. - The Kutztown University softball team had a productive day on Wednesday, winning both games of its doubleheader with victories over Wilmington University, 8-3, and Concordia College, 3-1, in the last day of the team's spring break trip in Florida.
 
In game one, Kutztown (11-7) trailed 3-0 after the top of the first inning, but starting pitcher Bridget Newman (Ardmore, Pa./Haverford) buckled down and didn't allow another run all game. KU struck back in the bottom of the first with two runs of its own to cut the lead to 3-2 on a RBI double by sophomore Blayse Cholish (Peckville, Pa./Valley View) and a RBI single by Gabby Tareila (Limerick, Pa./Spring-Ford).
 
The Golden Bears tied it up in the bottom of the third on a RBI single by Newman, plating Gianna DePalma (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East). KU took the lead in the third when Marissa Linquist (West Deptford, N.J./West Deptford) reached on an error and senior Danielle Sienko (Philadelphia, Pa./William Penn Charter) came around to score for the 4-3 lead. Sara Keeny (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent) then connected on a RBI single to right that brought Cholish in for a 5-3 advantage.
 
Kutztown added two more runs in the fourth on a sac fly from Tareila and another RBI single from Newman to push the lead to 7-3. Sienko provided a RBI single in the sixth inning that brought in Danielle Amato (Henderson, Nev./Coronado) to give KU an 8-3 lead that would hold the rest of the way.
 
Newman pitched a complete-game for KU, allowing just seven hits to Wilmington in seven innings of work. It was her second victory of the season.
 
Amato led the offensive charge with a 3-for-4 day at the plate with a team-high three runs scored. Cholish went 2-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored, while Newman chipped in with two hits and two RBIs.
 
Keeny went 1-for-3 with a RBI and a stolen base. Tareila tied the team-high with two RBI's.
 
KU's 3-1 win over Concordia proved to be a defensive battle through the first four innings of play with neither team able to produce a run.
 
The Golden Bears struck first in the top of the fifth inning on sac fly from senior Rachel Lawes (Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin) that scored Tareila for a 1-0 lead.
 
Sienko pushed the KU lead to 2-0 in the top of the sixth on a RBI double that brought Amato around to score. Concordia finally produced a run in the bottom of the sixth off of Amato to cut the lead to 2-1.
 
Kutztown answered back in the seventh with a RBI single from Keeny to push the lead to 3-1. Amato finished out Concordia in the seventh to preserve the two-run victory for KU.
 
Amato improved her record on the mound to 4-1, recording a complete-game with three strikeouts. She allowed eight hits and only one run.
 
Kutztown had seven hits against Concordia, including a team-high two from Keeny. Nicki Mann (Greentown, Pa./Wallenpaupack Area), Sienko, Tareila, Krista Schauder (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown Area) and Linquist each provided a hit for the Golden Bears in the victory.
 
The Golden Bears wrapped up their trip to Florida with a 7-3 record and heads to Virginia for the Salem Invitational this weekend. KU starts out play on Friday, March 11, at 5 p.m. against Wheeling Jesuit. It also faces West Virginia State on Friday night and Ohio Valley on Saturday afternoon.