KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University baseball team hasn't played on its home, North Campus Field since May 3, 2019. That's a little over 22 months. Welcome back Golden Bears.
 
KU scored 11 runs in game one and then had 17 combined strikeouts from its pitching duo in the nightcap as Kutztown swept a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference doubleheader against Lock Haven University Saturday afternoon, 11-7 and 2-1.
 
The Golden Bears (7-1 overall, 3-1 PSAC) won three-of-four against the Bald Eagles (1-3, 1-3) in the conference opening series for both teams.
 
The offense was humming in the opener, connecting on two long balls, one each by Antonio Rossillo (Warrington, Pa./Archbishop Wood) and Collin Bishop (Laurel Springs, N.J./Highland Regional). Rossillo recorded two homeruns on the day, his second came in game two in the bottom of the sixth inning that broke a 1-1 tie. The sophomore catcher has now hit a homerun in three straight games and four-of-five. He leads the PSAC with four. Both Golden Bears finished with three RBI on the day.
 
In game two, the combo of Gavin Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./La Salle College H.S.) and Zach Male (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) mowed down Lock Haven hitters, striking out 17 combined batters, 10 for the starter, Moretski and seven for the pitcher of record, Male. It is the most strikeouts in a seven-inning game for a KU pitching staff this century.
 
Zach Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./La Salle College H.S.), who came into Saturday with one hit on the year, led the Maroon and Gold with three on the day. He also scored two runs.
 
Kutztown remains home as it hosts Chestnut Hill for a single, non-conference game on Wednesday, March 17, at 3 p.m., on North Campus Field.
 
Kutztown 11, Lock Haven 7
 
Kutztown jumped all over Lock Haven early, scoring in each of the first four innings, including a five-run third that put the game well in its favor.
 
KU scored twice in its first at-bats, both runs unearned. After the Bald Eagles got on the scoreboard in their ensuing at-bats, the Golden Bears more than doubled their first inning outburst with a three-run homerun from Bishop to stake to a 5-1 lead.
 
Dominic Proietto (Norristown, Pa./Norristown), Ethan Martini (Feasterville-Trevose, Pa./Father Judge) and G. Moretski all tallied run-scoring hits, followed by a two-run dinger out of Rossillo to push the KU advantage to 10-1 after three innings.
 
Andy Blum (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) singled to center field in the bottom of the fourth, bringing home Z. Moretski and KU found itself in front 11-2. But Lock Haven did not go down without a fight, scoring five runs in the top of the sixth. But David Linsalata (Southampton, Pa./Archbishop Wood) came in to pitch in the seventh and closed the door on any Bald Eagles comeback attempt.
 
Steve Wagner (Henderson, Nev./Boulder City) earned the victory on the bump, throwing four strong innings, allowing just two earned runs and struck out four in 78 pitches.
 
Kutztown 2, Lock Haven 1
 
The story of this one was G. Moretski and Male on the mound, and Rossillo and Joey Pettinelli (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) at the plate.
 
Moretski got the start and worked four strong innings, allowing one run on three hits, striking out 10 in 85 pitches. His only blemish was on a wild pitch with the bases loaded in the top of the second that allowed the Bald Eagles to score their only run of the game.
 
Male entered the game in the fifth and worked out of a two-out double and walk to strand the runners. He sat down Lock Haven 1-2-3 in both the sixth and seventh innings, striking out seven and giving up just one hit in his three innings of work.
 
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom-half of the fourth inning, Z. Moretski doubled to left, followed by a single from Mike Piscotty (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Hanover Area) to put runners at the corners with one out. Pettinelli then took the first pitch he saw and hit a high, fly ball to center field which brought home Moretski on the sacrifice fly. It was his second RBI this season.
 
With the score tied 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth, Rossillo wanted to take care of business before any talk of extra innings came into play. He jumped on the second pitch he saw and ripped a line drive that cleared the left field fence, and then some, and allowed his team to leave North Campus Field as winners of two.