CLERMONT, Fla. – The Kutztown University softball team split day two of the NTC Spring Games, opening the day with a 6-5 victory over Drury in extra innings before falling to Ohio Dominican 6-3 in the nightcap on Sunday at the Legends Way Fields.
The Golden Bears (9-5) opened the day with an early lead over Drury when
Sara Keeny (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent) scored her first of three runs on the day in the top of the first inning.
Gabby Tareila (Limerick, Pa./Spring-Ford) capped the first with two RBI, driving home
Cheyenne Jones (Levittown, Pa./Harry S Truman (Northwest Florida State)) and
Tamara Jennings (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) to give Kutztown a 3-0 lead. Tareila's sacrifice fly to center field in the top of the third gave Jones her second run of the morning and Kutztown a 4-0 lead for 1.5 innings.
A four-run fourth led to Drury tying the game at 4-4, sending the matchup into extra innings.
Blayse Cholish (Peckville, Pa./Valley View) scored the game-winning run after
Gia Santigate (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by-the-Sea) drove in her third career RBI.
Pitcher
Savannah Nierintz (Clifton Heights, Pa./Upper Darby) allowed six hits as she threw a complete-game victory with nine strikeouts to move to 6-1 on the year.
The second game of the afternoon brought about a tough 6-3 setback for the Maroon and Gold as they faced Ohio Dominican.
The Panthers took an early 3-0 lead at the top of the first inning, notching three additional runs in the next five innings while also holding the Golden Bears scoreless.
The bottom of the sixth was when Kutztown earned its first runs of the afternoon, sparked by a two-run hit from Jones, driving Keeny and Jennings home. Tareila capped the sixth inning with an additional RBI, allowing Jones to score.
Unfortunately, the Maroon and Gold were unable to reduce their deficit for the rest of the afternoon.
Adrianna Dilal (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) started for KU in the circle, pitching for one inning and allowing three runs – one earned. Relief pitcher Nierintz finished the game, allowing seven hits and three runs with five strikeouts.
Keeny led Kutztown's Sunday performance with a total of five hits and three runs.
The Golden Bears return to action Tuesday, March 14, when they will face Rollins for a doubleheader. Game one begins at 6:00 p.m. in Winter Park, Fla.
