FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Kutztown University softball team salvaged a split with Nova Southeastern Tuesday, taking game two 1-0 after falling in the opener 8-3 in non-conference action in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
 
The Golden Bears (9-6 overall) had their five-game win streak snapped in game one, but bounced back to start a new one in the nightcap.
 
Sophomore pitcher Amber Brugger (Levittown, Pa./Neshaminy) threw a complete game shutout, going the full seven innings, allowing just five hits for her first shutout of the year and second victory this season.
 
At the plate, Hannah Boggs (Walnutport, Pa./Northampton) had three hits in the doubleheader to lead the KU offense. Kate Ostaszewski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan), Alyssa Donato (Cedarville, N.J./Cumberland Regional) and Jenna Lipowski (Nanticoke, Pa./Greater Nanticoke Area) all finished the day with two hits. Lipowski also added two RBI, one of which came on a game-winning single in game two for the only run of the game.
 
Unlike the other six days of the spring break trip, Kutztown will play just one game tomorrow, Wednesday, March 11, at 11 a.m., against Caldwell.
 
Nova Southeastern 8, Kutztown 3
 
The Sharks had four runners cross the plate to go ahead 4-0 after the first inning and never looked back, adding a run in both the second and fourth innings before Kutztown got onto the scoreboard with one in the in the top of the sixth.
 
Brugger did it at the plate during this game, helping out her pitching staff member and the game's starter Kelly Dulaney (Allentown, Pa./Parkland), with an RBI sacrifice fly that brought home Donato for KU's first run.
 
Ostaszewski then hit her first long ball over the center field wall to start a two-run seventh that was capped by Lipowski's RBI single to left.
 
Kutztown 1, Nova Southeastern 0
 
Brugger had it going inside the circle. She struck out three while allowing just five hits and zero runs.
 
Lipowski came up big. With two outs in the top of the first, she ripped an 0-1 pitch into left field that scored Paola Texidor (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) for the game's only run.