Live Stats (Friday) | Live Video (Friday) | Live Stats (Saturday)
KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University softball team will look to keep its bats hot as it takes on two regionally-ranked teams this weekend. KU travels to No. 5 (Atlantic Region) Millersville University for two games tomorrow, Friday, April 20, before hosting No. 10 Shippensburg University for a doubleheader from North Campus Field on Saturday. Game one Friday is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and first pitch on Saturday is set for 1 p.m. in the two different Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) matchups.
The Golden Bears (12-17 overall, 1-9 PSAC East) split two games at East Stroudsburg last Friday, April 13, before coming up just short, dropping both games by two runs to No. 1 West Chester the next day. Starting pitcher
Erin Fortney (Bedford, Nova Scotia/Bishop Macdonell (Rollins)) earned the victory in game one against the Warriors.
In the four games last weekend, the KU bats came alive. It produced at least nine hits in three-of-the-four games, including 13 extra base-hits.
Bridget Newman (Ardmore, Pa./Haverford) hit .500 (6-for-12) and slugged 1.167 in the four games. Four of her six hits went for extra bases, with two doubles and two home runs. She led KU with nine RBI and 14 total bases. She had two multi-hit games, with a career-high five RBI in game two Saturday vs. West Chester. Newman is fourth in the PSAC in on-base percentage at .509.
Alyssa Donato (Cedarville, N.J./Cumberland Regional) also went deep against the Golden Rams, recording a two-run homer.
Cheyenne Jones (Levittown, Pa./Harry S Truman (Northwest Florida State)) went 4-for-6 against ESU, including a home run and added two RBI.
Jenna Lipowski (Nanticoke, Pa./Greater Nanticoke Area) had a hit in three-of-the-four games.
Sara Keeny (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent) led KU with seven total hits last weekend, moving her total this season to 41, which ranks seventh in the conference. She also totaled three stolen bases, giving her 20 on the season, first in the PSAC. Keeny has tallied 85 career stolen bases, ranking fourth all-time at KU, five shy of reaching third. Her .423 batting average is fifth in the conference. She also has 15 multi-hit games (10 two-hit, 5 three-hit), second-best among all PSAC players, behind 18 from West Chester's Bri Garber.
Tamara Jennings (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy), who is fifth on KU with a .300 batting average, had at least one hit in all four games last weekend.
Jacqueline Walsh (Downingtown, Pa./Coatesville) is second on the team, hitting .370, and picked up an RBI in the win at East Stroudsburg.
Millersville (19-14, 6-4) has won five in a row, including two-game sweeps over Pitt-Johnstown and ESU. The Marauders lineup is led by the PSAC's leading duo in slugging percentage, Faith Willenbrock (.908) and Rebecca Blatt (.836), who is also the league-leader in RBI with 53. Like Kutztown, MU will feature a variety of different arms in the circle, but will most likely chose from Catherine Johnson (7-8) or Cassidy Pinchorski (6-4).
Shippensburg (17-11, 5-3) has split its last four two-game sets, notably against PSAC opponents West Chester, Millersville and East Stroudsburg. The Raiders travel to take on the Golden Rams Friday before they head to North Campus Field Saturday. Kayla Bonawitz is the leading hitter, recording a team-high .449 batting average with 41 hits. In the circle, KU will most likely see Taryn Wilson, who is second in the PSAC with 14 wins.
With just one more week left in the regular season after this weekend, Kutztown would like to earn a couple PSAC victories to keep its playoff hopes alive.
Live stats for both days, and video for Friday will be available via the links above, which can also be accessed on www.kubears.com.
