SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Kutztown University softball team scored all five of its runs Saturday in the seventh innings of the two-game doubleheader at Shippensburg, but fell short in both, dropping game one 6-3 and game two 3-2 in its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) opener.
 
The Golden Bears (11-10 overall, 0-2 PSAC), who had not played since March 15, had a combined 12 hits on the day, but were unable to muster up any scoring until the final inning of each game, when it proved to be too late, as the Raiders (13-7, 2-0) were able to hold on each time to the late KU rally attempts.
 
Junior Sara Keeny (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent) had her 10th and 11th multi-hit games this season, finishing the day with five hits in eight at-bats, with an RBI and a run scored. She was eighth in the PSAC in hits entering Saturday, and only helped her climb up the rankings. Gabby Tareila (Limerick, Pa./Spring-Ford) had two hits and an RBI in the two games.
 
Game One
 
KU had three runners cross home plate in the final inning, the first runs of the game, but the three-run rally effort fell a little bit short, dropping the opener 6-3, as Shippensburg scored three in the half-inning prior to help strengthen its lead to six runs.
 
The Maroon and Gold had seven hits throughout the game, all singles, including at least one in every inning but the first. But they had a difficult time putting runners in scoring position. Outside of the seventh, KU had just two runners reach second base, one in the fourth inning and one in the sixth.
 
Taylor Knappenberger (Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland) led off the top-half of the seventh inning with a single. Three batters later, the bases were loaded for Alyssa Oakley (Allentown, Pa./Parkland). The freshman brought home her high school teammate Knappenberger with an RBI groundout. Pinch hitter Alyssa Donato (Cedarville, N.J./Cumberland Regional) followed up with an RBI single, her first hit and RBI of the season. Blayse Cholish (Peckville, Pa./Valley View) also came around to score on the play after a throwing error from a Raiders infielder, as KU cut its deficit in half, and found itself down just 6-3 with two outs and a runner on second. But a groundout in the ensuing at-bat ended the comeback attempt.
 
Compared to Kutztown's seven singles, Shippensburg tallied nine total hits, five of which were for extra bases, including a two-run homerun in the bottom of the second that gave the Raiders a 3-0 lead. Shippensburg doubled up its lead in the sixth courtesy of three run-scoring doubles.
 
Keeny finished 2-for-4. Zoe Texidor (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township), Kristin Kaleycik (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) and Tareila all added one hit each for KU. Texidor added her second stolen base of the season, nabbing one in the top of the sixth inning.
 
Game Two
 
Once again, Kutztown was staring at a multiple-run deficit heading into its final at-bats. KU trailed 3-0 in the top of the seventh, and had two hits in the six innings leading up. It doubled that output, plus-one, racking up three hits and two runs. But with the tying run on second base with two outs, Shippensburg induced a game-ending groundout for the two-game sweep.
 
Junior Jacqueline Walsh (Downingtown, Pa./Coatesville) led off the top of the seventh inning with a pinch-hit double to left field. Two batters later, Keeny singled home Walsh for her third hit of the game. After advancing to second base on a wild pitch, Tareila ripped a two-out double, scoring Keeny, and cutting the deficit to 3-2. But with two outs, Tareila would be stranded at second, as PSAC wins-leader Taryn Wilson closed the door on KU.
 
One inning proved to be too much for the Golden Bears.
 
The Raiders scored all three of their runs in the bottom of the third, when five batters reached base safely, and two hits and an error capped the three-run inning.
 
Keeny stole her PSAC-leading 14th bag of the season. Cholish and Texidor also came away with a stolen base each.
 
Kutztown, which won its first six PSAC games to start league play last season, will look to get into the win column on Monday, April 2 with a doubleheader at West Chester University. Game one is scheduled for 2 p.m.