MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – The Kutztown University softball team won its first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) games this season by winning a pair at Millersville University by scores of 4-1 and 6-1 Saturday afternoon at Seaber Stadium.
 
The Golden Bears (15-12 overall, 2-2 PSAC) fell in all four games with the Marauders (15-12, 1-3) last season after previously winning the last seven, so Saturday's sweep comes at the right time, especially after dropping both games with West Chester at home on Friday.
 
A freshman duo of starting pitchers Amber Brugger (Levittown, Pa./Neshaminy) and Bridget Bailey (Norwood, Pa./Interboro) came up big inside the circle in both games as the pair threw complete games, allowing just one run. Brugger threw in game one and Bailey game two.
 
Brugger also helped herself at the plate with three hits in the opener. Cheyenne Jones (Levittown, Pa./Harry S Truman (Northwest Florida State)) and Dani Nordyk (Orange, Conn./Amity) connected on home runs in game one and Jenna Lipowski (Nanticoke, Pa./Greater Nanticoke Area) went yard in the nightcap. Sara Keeny (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent) and Hannah Auvil (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point) both had two hits on the day.
 
The Kutztown offense now leads the PSAC in batting average (.334) and triples (15), is second in slugging percentage (.489) and total bases (383) and is third in runs scored (174), home runs (16) and runs batted in (148).
 
Kutztown has a busy week next week with three days of double headers, all at home, beginning with a non-conference matchup with Felician on Tuesday, April 2, at 2:30 p.m. at North Campus Field.
 
Kutztown 4, Millersville 1
 
Kutztown fell behind in game one as Millersville got a run on the scoreboard in its first at-bats in the bottom of the first inning. But KU answered immediately to the tune of three runs in the second, highlighted by two home runs. Nordyk's two-run shot came following a walk to Auvil. Jones then connected on a solo shot the very next batter as KU took the lead at 3-1.
 
After a scoreless third, Jones once again reached base, via a single. Following a single by Brugger and then a stolen base that put runners at second and third with one out, Keeny recorded a sacrifice fly that brought home pinch-runner Alyssa Oakley (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) for a 4-1 advantage.
 
Brugger then finished out her fourth victory of the season, not allowing a run in the final six frames.
 
Kutztown 6, Millersville 1
 
In game two the Maroon and Gold never trailed as they jumped out to a 6-0 lead, scoring four runs in the top of the third inning which put the game out of reach, and only allowed a run on a Marauders solo home runs in the seventh.
 
Bailey brought her 'A' game to the rubber as she struck out a season-high nine batters and gave up just the one run and four hits total.
 
Following a leadoff single, Keeny then raced home on a passed ball with two outs in the top of the first to give Kutztown the lead.
 
The third inning began with two hits and the first three batters reaching base safely. Auvil led off with a double and then moved to third on a single by Kiera Brown (Nanticoke, Pa./Greater Nanticoke Area). Auvil scored on a wild pitch, sending Brown to third. Three batters later, Tamara Jennings (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) had an RBI sacrifice fly to center field, bringing around Brown. The four-run inning was capped by a solo shot from Lipowski in the next at-bat.
 
Kutztown would tack on a run in the top of the sixth via an RBI single by Taylor Knappenberger (Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland).
 
Two wins at a conference foe and some nice momentum heading into a busy week of competition for KU.