Box Score (HTML)
WILSON, N.C. – A day removed from a banner victory over No. 4 Mercyhurst University, the Kutztown University baseball team struggled to rebound on Sunday afternoon, falling 9-2 to West Virginia State University at historic Fleming Stadium.
Ryan Cox (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell (St. Bonaventure)) knocked in a run in the bottom of the first, scoring
Bo Rottet (Tamaqua, Pa./Tamaqua), to open the game, getting the Maroon and Gold off to another good start after posting five runs in the first two innings the previous day against the Lakers.
For KU,
Kevin Sell (Mertztown, Pa./Brandywine Heights) got the nod from manager
Chris Blum as the starter and WVSU scratched out one run to answer the Golden Bears in the top of the second. Sell and Yellow Jacket pitcher Andrew Stone were very effective in the first four innings, aided by some great defense, to keep the two sides deadlocked at one-all.
In the bottom of the third, the Maroon and Gold produced back-to-back outstanding defensive plays to help Sell get out of a bases-loaded no-out jam in the inning. Cox snared a hot shot at first base and doubled off the WVSU baserunner to pick up the first two outs in the frame and
Collin Bishop (Laurel Springs, N.J./Highland Regional) delivered a diving backhanded stop and unassisted play of his own to keep West Virginia State off the board.
The storyline all changed in the fifth, however, as the Yellow Jackets posted a four-run inning using a two-RBI double and RBI-single with two outs to take a 5-1 advantage. The Golden Bears answered this time, getting one run in the home half of the fifth inning courtesy of an RBI by
Dariel Richardson (Reading, Pa./Reading), cutting the deficit to two.
The bullpen for WVSU held firm after Stone left the game following the sixth, giving up just one hit in 3.0 innings of scoreless work.
West Virginia State went on to tack on two more in both the seventh and the ninth innings to finish the day with nine runs scored on 12 hits with no errors. WVSU has gone 3-1 thus far at the Collegiate Baseball Classic, sweeping Mercyhurst and falling to Bloomsburg before today's game.
For the Yellow Jackets of WVSU, Stone took the mound as the starter and kept Kutztown's offense, which had scored 23 runs in its first two games of the weekend, off balance in his 6.0 innings of work. Stone gave up just four hits and two earned, walking two and striking out three, throwing an efficient 77 pitches.
Rottet had one hit, his fourth double of the season, and scored one run, going 1-for-3 at the dish. Rottet has now reached base safely in all seven of KU's games this season.
Cox's RBI was his team-leading eighth of the season, also singling to left field in the top of the sixth for one of Kutztown's five hits.
Sell took the loss, falling to 0-1, pitching 4.2 innings and surrendering five earned runs, eight hits and three walks, striking out one.
KU is scheduled to play tomorrow at 2 p.m. against California (PA) University at 2 p.m., but weather in the area could cause this to change. Updates will be provided via www.kubears.com and Kutztown Athletics' social media accounts.
