PSAC Playoff Information | Directions/Map to Veterans Park | Wednesday's Live Stats
KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University softball team kicks off its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) playoff appearance with a matchup against Lock Haven University on Wednesday, April 27 at Veterans Park in Quakertown, Pa. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Ticket prices are set at $10 per day. Children under 12, as well as PSAC students with a valid ID, are admitted free.
The Golden Bears (29-13) finished their season with a PSAC record of 10-6, good for second in the Eastern Division. Lock Haven (31-15) finished with a 14-6 PSAC mark, and is the second seed out of the Central.
Kutztown has made the PSAC playoffs in 11 of the past 12 seasons, winning the championship for the first time in program history in 2013. KU is also looking to continue its season by performing well in the PSAC's to earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
The Golden Bears sat sixth in the latest NCAA Atlantic Region Poll, with eight teams getting selected on Monday, May 2 at 10 a.m.
The newest region poll will be released on Wednesday, April 27. Kutztown has competed in the NCAA Tournament in 16 of the last 22 seasons.
KU ended the regular-season with two wins over Millersville University on Sunday, April 24. The Golden Bears won game one 4-1 and took game two 9-1 in five innings. Lock Haven enters the game on a winning-streak of its own, picking up victories in each of its past four games.
Kutztown enters the playoffs as the third-best hitting team in the PSAC with a .327 team batting average. KU is also third in the conference in hits (373), on-base percentage (.383), and fourth in RBIs (193). The Golden Bears have struck out the second-fewest times in the PSAC, with just 119 over 42 games.
The Golden Bears offense has been led all season by freshman lead-off hitter
Sara Keeny (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent). Keeny is third in the PSAC and 42nd in Division II with a .428 batting average and has 14 RBIs, 37 runs scored (seventh in PSAC) and 26 stolen bases (second). The freshman is also fourth in the PSAC in on-base percentage (.471), trailing teammate
Bridget Newman (Ardmore, Pa./Haverford) who is in third (.500). Newman is hitting .363 with four home runs and 15 RBIs and is slugging .588 (14th).
Danielle Amato (Henderson, Nev./Coronado) is fourth on the team with a .352 average and leads KU in both home runs (five) and RBIs (30, tied for 15th in PSAC).
Danielle Sienko (Philadelphia, Pa./William Penn Charter) is right behind with .348 average with 23 RBIs and a team-high 13 doubles.
Gabby Tareila (Limerick, Pa./Spring-Ford),
Rachel Lawes (Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin),
Tamara Jennings (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) and
Nicki Mann (Greentown, Pa./Wallenpaupack Area) are all hitting over .300, with all but Mann (nine) driving in double-digit RBIs.
Blayse Cholish (Peckville, Pa./Valley View) is second on the team in both runs scored (27) and RBIs (24).
KU will look towards its pitching staff to shut down the Lock Haven offense (10th in PSAC with .273 team batting average) and carry it through the postseason.
Savannah Nierintz (Clifton Heights, Pa./Upper Darby) will shoulder the load for KU on the mound. The junior is finishing up a career-year that has seen her tie her career-high in wins (16), and shutouts (three) and set new highs in complete-games (18), saves (two), strikeouts (109) and innings-pitched (151). Nierintz's 1.85 ERA is just .05 off from her career-best mark of 1.80 last season and is the 12th-best in the PSAC. Her 236 career strikeouts are ninth -most in KU history. She is also batting a career-high .373 (second on the team) with seven RBIs and nine runs scored.
The Bald Eagles are led on the mound by freshman Bekah Slattery (19-5, 1.55 ERA), who is second in the PSAC in innings-pitched (171.2) and shutouts (nine). Opponents are batting just .209 against Slattery on the season, the sixth-best mark in the conference. Rachel Mouillesseaux rounds out the rotation, going 14-10 with a 2.55 ERA over 145.1 innings.
LHU's offense is led by junior McKenna Garlock. She is hitting .372 with three home runs, 32 RBIs and 28 runs scored. Michelle Holweger is right behind with a .345 average, leading the team with 39 RBIs and tied for the lead with five home runs. Mouillesseaux also rounds out the offense, hitting .304 with five home runs and 20 RBIs.
If Kutztown wins its opening game against Lock Haven, it will play the winner of California (Pa.)/Indiana University of Pennsylvania at 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 28. If KU falls to Lock Haven, it will play in an elimination game at 12 p.m. on Thursday.
