NEW CASTLE, Del. –
Erin Fortney (Bedford, Nova Scotia/Bishop Macdonell (Rollins)) threw a two-hitter with no earned runs in a tough 3-0 loss in the opener, and
Ava Bottiglia (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) followed with a complete-game, 4-2 victory in game two to highlight the Kutztown University softball team's day at Wilmington University Tuesday afternoon.
Fortney didn't allow an earned run in six innings in the opener. She allowed just two hits, both singles, with six strikeouts while throwing 61-of-97 pitches for strikes. Errors around the diamond plagued the Golden Bears, however, allowing three unearned runs in the game.
Wilmington scored all three of its runs off KU errors in the opener. A throwing error and sacrifice bunt led to a Wildcat stealing home in the first for a 1-0 lead. Two KU errors in the third led to a two-out, two-run single for the 3-0 advantage.
Bottiglia took the ball in game two for the Golden Bears. Her only runs allowed on the day were a two-out wild pitch with the bases loaded in the second, and an RBI triple with two outs in the fifth that
Sara Keeny (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent),
Jenna Lipowski (Nanticoke, Pa./Greater Nanticoke Area) and
Bridget Newman (Ardmore, Pa./Haverford) teamed up on to limit the damage to one run with a putout at the plate.
Speaking of two-out power,
Tamara Jennings (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) struck for her first of two hits on the day with a two-out RBI double in the third to score Keeny and tie the game at 1-1.
Kutztown struck for three runs in the fifth. Keeny hit an RBI double, scored on a single by
Alyssa Oakley (Allentown, Pa./Parkland), and
Alyssa Donato (Cedarville, N.J./Cumberland Regional) capped the inning with a third RBI hit for KU in the inning with a run-scoring single.
Once KU took the lead in the fifth, Bottiglia allowed the one two-out run in the bottom half of the fifth, but retired seven of the final eight batters to secure her fifth win of the year.
The Golden Bears (15-20) close out their season this Friday, April 27, for Senior Day against East Stroudsburg University. Game time at North Campus Field is set for 2:30 p.m.
