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KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University baseball team earned a split against the first-place team in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), No. 18 Lock Haven University, on Friday afternoon, winning the opening game of its doubleheader 3-0 and falling 7-1 in extra innings in game two.
KU defeated its second nationally-ranked opponent of the season in its game one win over LHU behind outstanding pitching from
Michael Hunter (Mertztown, Pa./Brandywine Heights (Marist)). Hunter (5-0) pitched 7.0 innings of no-run ball, scattering five hits and striking out three to earn his fifth win of the season and first career complete game.
Nick Lafferty (Croydon, Pa./Archbishop Wood) collected three hits and two RBI in game one, adding a run scored in a solid day at the plate.
Ryan Cox (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell (St. Bonaventure)) had a combined three hits in KU's two games, extending his on-base streak to 18 games-in-a-row.
Bo Rottet (Tamaqua, Pa./Tamaqua) also reached based in both contests, going 2-for-4 in game one and adding a walk in game two.
Game One
The Golden Bears wasted little time in getting to Lock Haven starter Jesse Slinger as the leadoff batter, Rottet, reached base on an infield single to open the bottom of the first. Rottet was cut out at second on a fielder's choice by
Mike Villa (Scranton, Pa./West Scranton (Lackawanna)), putting Villa at first with one out.
Cox then laced a single up the middle and advanced to second on the throw, which was not in time to nail Villa at third, putting runners on the corners with Lafferty stepping to the dish. Lafferty crushed an 0-1 pitch from Slinger to the left field fence, plating Cox and Villa to get KU out to an early 2-0 lead.
Lafferty wasn't done yet for the Maroon and Gold, however, as he doubled for the second time in the game with one out in the third inning, getting himself in scoring position. A
Collin Bishop (Laurel Springs, N.J./Highland Regional) fly-out moved the Golden Bear catcher over to third and KU was then able to tack on an insurance run via a Lock Haven error on a ball put in play by
Mitch Pinder (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown Area).
A three-run lead proved to be plenty of cushion for Hunter, who was pounding the strike zone with both his fastball and off-speed pitches for the entirety of the game. LHU came into the game averaging a PSAC-leading 10.3 runs per game and was held scoreless for the first time this season, mustering just five hits against the Maroon and Gold starter.
Game Two
An equally-as-impressive pitching performance was delivered for the Maroon and Gold in game two as
Anthony DeVito (Philadelphia, Pa./Central (Mercer County C.C.)) got the nod from manager
Chris Blum. DeVito went 7.0 strong innings as well, giving up just four hits and one unearned run while striking out three.
Offensively, KU struggled to find an answer for LHU game two starter Scott Leitholf, getting just two hits through the first five innings. In the meantime, Lock Haven plated one run off of DeVito in the bottom of the third thanks to a two-base fielding error by the Golden Bear centerfielder.
The Maroon and Gold finally got to Leitholf a bit in the sixth, scratching out a run on a Bishop RBI groundout to tie the score at 1-all. DeVito exited the game after seven innings, but with the score tied, extra innings would be needed to decide a victor.
Jeff Charles (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall (Lehigh Carbon C.C.)) pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the Golden Bears in relief of DeVito, giving KU an opportunity to win it in walk-off fashion in the bottom half. Kutztown did all it could in the home half of the eighth, loading the bases in the frame, but a deep fly-out by Lafferty ended the inning, keeping KU off the board.
Charles came out for his second inning of work in the ninth, trying to keep LHU at bay once again, but the Lock Haven offense finally came alive. The Bald Eagles scored six runs on six hits in the top of the ninth inning, taking a 7-1 lead. KU threatened a bit in the ninth, but was held off the board as Lock Haven secured the win, 7-1.
Leitholf earned the win to move to 5-0, going 8.0 innings and striking out seven while Charles took his first loss of the season in relief.
Due to impending weather on Saturday, KU will travel to Lock Haven on Sunday, April 8 to complete its four-game series. First pitch from Watkins Field will be at 1 p.m.
