PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Kutztown University softball team continued its recent surge as it went into the city of brotherly love and won two non-conference games Sunday afternoon, 5-2 and 10-2 (six innings) against the University of the Sciences at FDR Park.
 
The Golden Bears (22-13 overall) have now won five games in a row and nine of their last 10.
 
Sara Keeny (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent) finished with six total hits on the day, including a 4-for-4 game two. She added an RBI and scored two runs. Keeny stole four bases, upping her career total to 115, which ties her for second all-time in the program and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) history record books. Her 62 hits and 39 runs this season lead the conference.
 
Jenna Lipowski (Nanticoke, Pa./Greater Nanticoke Area) had three hits Sunday, including a double and home run in the opener. She ranks second in the PSAC with 37 runs batted in. Taylor Knappenberger (Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland) recorded two hits, a double and a triple, and both Tamara Jennings (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) and Katelyn Ostaszewski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) each had two hits for KU.
 
Erin Fortney (Bedford, Nova Scotia/Bishop Macdonell (Rollins)) started game one and went two-and-a-third innings, allowing just one earned run. Amber Brugger (Levittown, Pa./Neshaminy) finished off the game and earned the victory, her seventh of the season. Ava Bottiglia (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) threw four-and-two-thirds innings in the nightcap, picking up the victory, while striking out two and giving up just two runs.
 
Kutztown hosts Holy Family in a non-conference double header tomorrow, Monday, April 8, beginning at 2:30 p.m. from North Campus Field.
 
Kutztown 5, Sciences 2
 
Kutztown scored a run in its first at-bats via a run-scoring single by Jennings, but did not have a runner cross home plate again until the fifth inning, while the Devils would tie the score at 1-1 in the third.
 
But the KU fifth inning was a big one as it scored four times thanks to a grand slam by Lipowski. That big fly proved to be the key to the win.
 
Dani Nordyk (Orange, Conn./Amity), Emily Ostaszewski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan (C.C. of Philadelphia)) and Zoe Texidor (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) recorded a base hit.
 
Kutztown 10, Sciences 2
 
The Maroon and Gold were able to leave Philadelphia a little earlier than expected as they took care of business in six innings of game two.
 
Unlike in game one, Kutztown jumped out early with a five-run top of the second inning. Six batters reached base safely. Alyssa Donato (Cedarville, N.J./Cumberland Regional) walked, Knappenberger doubled, Texidor, Keeny and Jennings all posted RBI in the inning capped by Jennings' triple.
 
Sciences got one back in its half of the second.
 
Keeny raced home on a wild pitch in the fourth to get that run back, then the duo of Alyssa Oakley (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) and Knappenberger tallied two-run singles in the fifth and sixth respectively to jump the advantage to 10-1.
 
Bridget Bailey (Norwood, Pa./Interboro) got the final four outs in the circle and did not allow a hit.