Series Stats
MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – The Kutztown University baseball team went toe-to-toe with sixth-ranked Millersville University this weekend. The teams split their Saturday doubleheader at Millersville, KU winning game one 2-1 and Millersville taking game two 6-2, to split the opening weekend series of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division season at Millersville's Cooper Park.
Game one was opened with five scoreless innings for both teams. KU starter
Kurtis Hultz (Birdsboro, Pa./Daniel Boone (Cecil College)) threw three innings of one-hit ball and was relieved by
Gavilan Fogarty-Harnish (Ephrata, Pa./Ephrata) who went through the sixth.
Millersville, playing as the away team, took a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth. A throwing error by KU put a runner in scoring position, and a two-out RBI single gave the Marauders a 1-0 lead.
Kutztown responded with the game-tying and winning runs in the bottom half of the inning. KU put two runners on with one out, and
Ben Eppley (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley (Frederick C.C.)) hit an RBI single to right field to score
Derian Sarlat (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) from second to tie the game at one.
KU loaded the bases with a one-out intentional walk, and following a strike out, KU scored the go-ahead run with a full-count walk by
Collin Bishop (Laurel Springs, N.J./Highland Regional) for a 2-1 lead.
Anthony DeVito (Philadelphia, Pa./Central (Mercer County C.C.)) came in to close in the seventh, allowing just one runner off a KU fielding error. It was his first save of the season.
Golden Bear pitching allowed three Millersville hits in the opener, pitching to contact with 89 combined pitches.
In game two, Kutztown picked up where it left off in game one, scoring two runs in the first inning. Singles by
Bo Rottet (Tamaqua, Pa./Tamaqua) and
Nick Lafferty (Croydon, Pa./Archbishop Wood) were followed by a sacrifice bunt to put two runners in scoring position with one out.
Bishop drove in the first run with a groundball, and Eppley walked with the bases loaded to push KU's lead to 2-0 after one.
Unfortunately for the Golden Bears, Millersville pitcher David Manasek settled down from there and threw six shutout innings to finish the game. The Marauders tied the game with two runs in the fourth and won the game with four runs in the top of the sixth inning.
Kutztown starter
Josh Houser (New Freedom, Pa./Susquehannock (Harford C.C.)) was tabbed with the no decision, throwing four innings and exiting after Millersville tied the game in the fourth.
The Golden Bears return to action next weekend with their series against Lock Haven University. KU travels to Lock Haven on Friday, March 31, and KU will plays its home-opener at North Campus Field against the Bald Eagles on Saturday, April 1. First pitch on both days is set for 1 p.m.
