MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Kutztown University softball team extended its win streak to four-straight, defeating West Virginia State University, 6-2, and New Haven University, 9-4, on the first day of the Snowbird Freeze Out Tournament in Myrtle Beach on Friday afternoon.
 
The bats have officially come alive for KU to begin the 2018 season, having scored six or more runs in four consecutive games. Sara Keeny (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent) went a combined 3-for-6 with a triple and two RBI, adding one walk and three runs scored on the day, improving her season average to .429. Keeny has already racked up four three-baggers in the Maroon and Gold's first five games. Tamara Jennings (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) also had a big day at the dish, doubling in both games and driving in three RBI while scoring three runs of her own.
 
In game one against West Virginia State, Kutztown got a big two-out double from Taylor Knappenberger (Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland) to open the scoring in the first inning, plating her high-school teammate Alyssa Oakley (Allentown, Pa./Parkland). Starting pitcher Adrianna Dilal (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) stranded three runners in the bottom of the fourth inning to keep the Maroon and Gold on top 1-0, paving the way for the Kutztown offense in the fifth.
 
Keeny led off the inning with a single, making it to third on a WVSU error, getting herself in scoring position for the heart of the order. Jennings, the two-hitter, doubled to left to drive in Keeny, and Cheyenne Jones (Levittown, Pa./Harry S Truman (Northwest Florida State)) brought Jennings home with an RBI-single, giving the Golden Bears a 3-0 lead.  
 
Kristin Kaleycik (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) added a two-RBI double in the top of the seventh and Jenna Lipowski (Nanticoke, Pa./Greater Nanticoke Area), who went 3-for-4 in the game, closed out the KU scoring effort in game one with an RBI single, scoring pinch-runner Angie Carty (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton Area). Dilal and the Kutztown defense ran into a bit of trouble closing the game out, surrendering two runs and three hits, committing two errors in the bottom of the seventh. With the bases loaded, Dilal worked her way out of the jam, inducing a pop-out to first base to stand three Yellow Jackets and secure the victory.
 
Dilal picked up her second win of the season, scattering nine hits on the rubber for the Maroon and Gold versus WVSU, notching four strikeouts and improving her record to 2-1.
 
Game two against NHU featured Ava Bottiglia (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) on the mound for KU with things looking shaky for the first 3.5 innings. The scorching-hot Kutztown offense cooled off momentarily in its first three times up to bat, collecting just one hit while New Haven scored a run in the first off of a Bottiglia wild pitch. NHU added one more run in the top of the fourth via a long ball, staking itself to a 2-0 advantage.
 
The bottom of the fourth proved to be the momentum-changing frame, however, as, following a Jones fly-out to lead it off, the KU put on its hitting shoes once again. A walk and hit-by-pitch for Lipowski and Kaleycik put runners on first and second as Bridget Newman (Ardmore, Pa./Haverford) stepped to the plate. Newman brought Lipowski home with an RBI single to put the Maroon and Gold on the board, opening the floodgates for a big inning for head coach Judy Lawes' squad.
 
Kaleycik came around a short time later on a passed ball to tie things up and Knappenberger delivered again with an RBI single, bringing home Carty. Now up 3-2 and with two runners on and the top-of-the-lineup due up, Keeny wasted no time extending her team's margin, smashing a two-run triple to left field, scoring Blayse Cholish (Peckville, Pa./Valley View) and Asja Saito (Pickering, Ontario/Pickering). Keeny then came across the plate a few pitches later, scoring on a passed ball to complete KU's six-run fourth inning.
 
Bottiglia ran into a bit of trouble after a long time on the bench in the top of the fifth as New Haven climbed back into the game with a two-out, two run double to make the score 6-4 in Kutztown's favor. However, she closed the game with a flourish, surrendering just one hit in the final two innings, to notch her second win of the season, improving her record to 2-0. Bottiglia went seven-strong for KU, posting a line of six hits surrendered, four runs, three of which were earned and walking just one.
 
The Golden Bears tacked on three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth, going ahead 9-4 thanks to a two-run double from Jennings, who came around on a subsequent Jones double in the next at-bat.
 
After dropping its opening two games, KU improves its record to 4-2 overall and will look to continue its winning ways tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 17, facing off first with Wilmington University at 12 p.m. The Maroon and Gold will then get their first look at a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) opponent in their second game, taking on Mercyhurst University for a 2 p.m. first-pitch.