KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University softball team clinched at least a share of the 2017 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division title on Saturday, winning two games over Millersville University at North Campus Field on Senior Day. KU won the opener in eight innings, 2-1, and won game two 4-1.
Justine Rossi (Hazleton, Pa./Hazleton Area) made the most of her Senior Day start in the opener. In the eighth inning with
Gabby Tareila (Limerick, Pa./Spring-Ford) on third, Rossi drove a groundball to shortstop and a sliding Tareila beat the throw home to send the Golden Bears to a walk-off victory
(VIDEO).
Fellow senior
Savannah Nierintz (Clifton Heights, Pa./Upper Darby) won her 21st game of the season, – sixth-most in a season in KU history – allowing one run with seven strikeouts and no walks. It was her 58th career win, tying her for second in school history, and her 60th complete game, fourth all-time.
KU's third senior honored pre-game Saturday was
Marissa Linquist (West Deptford, N.J./West Deptford).
Millersville's Brittany Smith led the Marauders at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a run scored. Cassidy Pinchorski was tabbed with the loss. She was charged with two unearned runs and allowed five hits.
In game two, Kutztown set the tempo from the first inning, scoring two runs on RBI hits from Tareila and
Gia Santigate (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph by-the-Sea) for a 2-0 lead. That was all the support that pitcher
Adrianna Dilal (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) needed, as she took a shutout into the seventh inning.
KU tacked on runs in the second and sixth innings for a 4-0 lead entering the seventh. Dilal got the first batter out, but went on to load the bases with out – ending her day. Nierintz came on as a closer and gave up a base hit to snap the shutout, but retired the next two batters to preserve the KU victory.
Dilal was charged with the run and moved to 4-3 on the year. Nierintz picked up her third save of the season – tying the KU single-season record – and sixth save of her career for second in school history.
The first five hitters in the KU lineup all registered hits in the nightcap.
Final seeds for the PSAC Championships will be determined following the West Chester-Shippensburg doubleheader on Sunday, April 30, as KU's postseason begins at the conference championships on Wednesday, May 3, in Quakertown, Pa.
