MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Kutztown University softball team brought its bats with it to South Carolina as it accounted for season-highs of 13 runs and 14 hits in dispatching of Goldey-Beacom 13-5 (five innings) Friday afternoon in game two of a two-game split down in Myrtle Beach at the Snowbird Freez Out Tournament.
 
The Golden Bears (2-4 overall) were downed by nationally-ranked, No. 4 Saint Anselm 11-5 in the morning game, before ending a four-game slide by taking out frustrations on the softball against the Lightning.
 
KU wasted little time in flexing its muscle, putting up six runs and making it around its lineup in its first at-bats in the bottom of the first inning. Sara Keeny (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent) led off with her Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC)-leading third triple of the season. Katelyn Ostaszewski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) then brought her home, singling to center field. Tamara Jennings (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) followed that up with a two-run homerun to right center for the first homer of the season and just second in her career. Jenna Lipowski (Nanticoke, Pa./Greater Nanticoke Area) followed suit by hitting it out of the park, but with no one on base because of Jennings before her as KU jumped to a quick 4-0 lead after just four batters.
 
A pitching change for Goldey-Beacom ensued, and after it recorded the first out of the inning, Cheyenne Jones (Levittown, Pa./Harry S Truman (Northwest Florida State)) singled and Taylor Knappenberger (Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland) doubled to put runners on the corner. Two batters later, starting pitcher Amber Brugger (Levittown, Pa./Neshaminy) helped herself with a two-out, two-RBI single through the middle of the infield in her first collegiate at-bat.
 
Brugger, who also recorded her first collegiate win in the circle, was given leads of 6-0 after one inning and 7-0 after two. She went 4.1 innings, striking out three and allowed three earned runs. Erin Fortney (Bedford, Nova Scotia/Bishop Macdonell (Rollins)) came in and closed the door, striking out both batters she faced.
 
The Lightning scored twice in both the third and fourth innings to close the Maroon and Gold gap to 7-4. But in the bottom of the fourth, Kutztown broke out again, this time for five runs. Emily Ostaszewski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan (C.C. of Philadelphia)) and Keeny each recorded singles to right field that brought home two runs, and Knappenberger added an RBI of her own in that frame to push the advantage further out to 12-4.
 
Goldey-Beacom scored once in the top of the fifth, but KU made sure it wouldn't have to go the full seven, as Jones' RBI single clinched a 13-5 victory in five innings.
 
In the opener, just as Kutztown did to Goldey-Beacom, Saint Anselm did to them. The Hawks scored five runs in both the sixth and seventh innings after the Golden Bears held a 4-1 lead to begin the sixth.
 
Lipowski doubled in the bottom of the first to put Kutztown ahead early. After Saint Anselm got onto the scoreboard in the fifth to tie the score at 1-1, KU got a three-spot in the bottom-half, highlighted by RBI from K. Ostaszewski, Jennings and Hannah Auvil (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point).
 
With just six outs to go, it looked as if Kutztown would knock off the top-five team in the nation. But unfortunately the Hawks are ranked for a reason and they went off for 10 runs in the final two innings for the victory.
 
Bridget Bailey (Norwood, Pa./Interboro) struck out a season-high five batters.
 
Keeny finished the day with three hits and two runs and leads the PSAC in both categories on the year with 11 hits and seven runs scored. Jennings and Lipowski each had four hits and both lead the PSAC with two homeruns on the year. Jennings leads the conference with a 1.143 slugging percentage. E. Ostaszewski (2), K. Ostaszewski (3), Auvil (2), Jones (3) and Knappenberger (3) all had multi-hit days.
 
Kutztown has another double-header tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 16, beginning with a game with New Haven at 12 p.m., followed by a game against Le Moyne at 2 p.m.