MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Kutztown University softball team split its two games on the second day of the Snowbird Freeze Out Tournament in Myrtle Beach on Saturday afternoon in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
The Golden Bears (5-3 overall) were beaten by Wilmington 5-2 in the opener, but followed that up with an extra-inning 5-4 victory over a familiar foe in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) member Mercyhurst in game two. KU is now 3-1 this weekend at the tournament with one more game to play tomorrow, Sunday Feb. 18, against Felician.
Having won its previous four straight games coming into action Saturday, Kutztown salvaged the split Saturday, falling in game one, but keeping some momentum heading into Sunday by winning game two.
Jenna Lipowski (Nanticoke, Pa./Greater Nanticoke Area) had a four-hit day, going 2-for-3 in game one and 2-for-4 in game two. She had an RBI in the third inning and one in the four-run eighth inning that propelled the Maroon and Gold to the win over the Lakers.
Lipowski doubled to left field, scoring
Tamara Jennings (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) in the top of the third to open up the scoring. The two then connected for a run again in the top of the eighth, as Lipowski singled home Jennings, after Mercyhurst tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth. The Jennings run was the first of four in the eighth, as
Taylor Knappenberger (Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland) ripped a double to right center to bring home
Angie Carty (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton Area) and
Cheyenne Jones (Levittown, Pa./Harry S Truman (Northwest Florida State)).
Asja Saito (Pickering, Ontario/Pickering) added on to the KU lead, hitting a sacrifice fly to bring home
Bridget Newman (Ardmore, Pa./Haverford) to give KU a 5-1 lead.
The Lakers were able to make it interesting, scoring three runs in the bottom half of the inning, but starting pitcher
Jackie Morell (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem) closed the door on Mercyhurst, which had a runner at third base. Morell (1-1) went eight strong, giving up just one earned run, giving Kutztown its third pitcher to pick up at least one victory in the first eight games of the season.
Knappenberger and
Sara Keeny (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent) also had multi-hit games against the Lakers, each going 2-for-4.
Kutztown also opened up the scoring in the opener against Wilmington. Freshman
Hannah Auvil (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point) was hit by a pitch in the top of the first, which brought in Jennings, her third run scored on the day. But the Wildcats needed just two innings to take control of the game.
Wilmington scored three in the third and two in the fourth for a four-run cushion (5-1) after the fourth inning. After two scoreless innings, the Golden Bears got one back in the top of the seventh. Keeny doubled to right center, scoring Knappenberger.
Adrianna Dilal (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) struck out three in 3.2 innings. Morell finished the remainder, striking out two and allowing just three hits.
Kutztown plays its final game of the tournament down in Myrtle Beach tomorrow, Sunday, when it takes on Felician. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m.
