Box Score WILSON, N.C. – The Kutztown University baseball team used a solid outing from
Mike Kammerer (Allentown, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic), in which he struck out seven batters in 4.0 innings, in conjunction with an offensive explosion, totaling 12 runs in the first four frames, to cruise past the Wheeling Jesuit University Cardinals by a final score of 16-4 on Friday evening in their first game of the Collegiate Baseball Classic.
Kammerer navigated his way out of a jam in the top of the first inning, putting two runners on with just one out to open the ballgame. The Allentown Central Catholic-prep then stranded those baserunners mostly on his own, cutting down the runner from third base at home who tried to score on a fielder's choice for out number two and then picking off the runner on first base in the next at-bat to keep the game scoreless.
The Maroon and Gold offense used the momentum from Kammerer's performance in the top of the first, scoring five runs in the home-half of the first.
Mike Villa (Scranton, Pa./West Scranton (Lackawanna)) led off with a walk and
Collin Bishop (Laurel Springs, N.J./Highland Regional) reached based after getting hit by a pitch.
Bo Rottet (Tamaqua, Pa./Tamaqua) then moved both runners over on a sacrifice bunt, bringing up
Ryan Cox (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell (St. Bonaventure)). Cox blooped a fly into shallow right which was mishandled by the WJU second baseman, scoring Villa and putting the Golden Bears ahead 1-0.
A strikeout then took Kutztown down to its last out in its half of the first inning, but some clutch two-out hitting allowed KU to pile it on.
Zack Delp (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) delivered a two-RBI single and
Jeff Charles (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall (Lehigh Carbon C.C.)) followed that with an RBI-single of his own.
Mitch Pinder (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown Area) capped the inning with an RBI-single as the Maroon and Gold got three-consecutive two-out hits from the six through eight hitters in their lineup.
With the five-run lead well in hand, KU continued to extend this margin with Kammerer on the mound, tacking on one in the bottom of the second and scoring three runs each in the bottom of the third and fourth innings. In total, 12 different Golden Bears registered one or more RBI in the game led by Villa, Delp, Pinder and
Brady Carras (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville Area), who homered in the fifth, whom each picked up two a-piece. Kutztown also scored at least one run in six of its eight plate appearances, batting around in two different innings.
20 different Maroon and Gold players appeared in the game as manager
Chris Blum was able to get some valuable playing time for those in the reserve unit having built such a comfortable cushion. Adding to KU's big day, three different Golden Bears picked up their first career hits in
Zach Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./La Salle College),
Evan Musto (Exeter, Pa./Wyoming Area) and
Jacoby Pate (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Township).
Kammerer picked up his first win of the season improving his record to 1-1 overall, throwing 91 pitches, scattering five hits, four walks and striking out seven.
KU improves to 2-3 on the season and will face a tough test tomorrow in its next competition, taking on the No. 4-ranked Mercyhurst University Lakers at 1 p.m at Historic Fleming Stadium.
