SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. -- Kutztown staged late-inning rallies in both halves of Friday afternoon's doubleheader at Shepherd, stunning the Rams with 10-6 and 5-4 comeback victories and extending its winning streak to 12 games.

The Golden Bears scored all 10 of their runs over the final three innings of game one, including a 7-run sixth in which they took the lead for good. Though they were outhit 12-7 in game two, the Maroon and Gold manufactured two runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to pull out another win, improving to 15-3 overall and 12-2 in the PSAC East in the process. Shepherd fell to 14-3 (10-2 PSAC East).

GAME 1
Kutztown 10, Shepherd 6

Shepherd jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third behind home runs from Nicole Purtell and Cameron Davis and maintained that edge into the fifth inning, before the Golden Bears answered with a two-run shot by Hannah Auvil (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point).

Auvil is up to 30 hits, three home runs and 20 RBIs on the season, and is on pace to shatter former career-highs, all while hitting a team-best .492.

The Rams countered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the fifth to regain the lead, 5-3, but Kutztown exploded for seven runs on four hits gain some valuable breathing room.

Jenna Lipowski (Nanticoke, Pa./Greater Nanticoke Area) led off with her third homer of the season, but the rest of the Bears' runs came with two outs. Kate Ostaszewski's (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) two-run single tied the game at five and an error from Shepherd at the hot corner allowed two additional runs to score for Kutztown's first lead of the game.

Alyssa Donato (Cedarville, N.J./Cumberland Regional) capped the inning with a two-run single to center field, extending KU's advantage to 9-5. Ostaszewski singled in Hannah Reimel (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent) in the top of the seventh for her third RBI of the game and finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

Reimel went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and Donato had a two-hit effort.

Though it was an atypical line for KU pitcher Bridget Bailey (Norwood, Pa./Interboro) (7 IP, 6 ER, 5 BB, 0 K), the junior persevered to complete the game and improve to 8-0. Her counterpart, the Rams' Sarah Lamper, struck out seven, but took the loss with eight runs allowed (five earned) over 5.2 innings.

GAME 2
Kutztown 5, Shepherd 4

Hannah Reimel (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent) connected for her first career home run to help the Bears erase an early two-run deficit and Kutztown scored the final three runs to overcome another in completing the sweep.

Four of the Rams' 12 hits came in the first inning, but fortunately for KU they were all singles. Still, the hosts were able to get two runs out of the frame on RBIs by Isabella Forte and Leanne Brown.

With Amber Brugger (Levittown, Pa./Neshaminy) aboard in the top of the second, Reimel turned on a 2-2 pitch from Katie Laing to tie the game.

Shepherd eventually pulled in front again with two runs in the fourth, highlighted by Purtell's RBI triple and Allison Baker's RBI single.

Instead of getting down, Kutztown got even in the fifth.

Reimel scored on another fielding blunder by the Rams and Auvil tied the score at four with a sacrifice fly.

The Bears didn't waste an opportunity to strike quick and take their first lead in the top of the sxith. Lipowski hit a lead-off double to the gap in right and Alyssa Donato (Cedarville, N.J./Cumberland Regional) immediately followed with a double to the same place that scored pinch-runner Mya Zettlemoyer (Allentown, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) with the go-ahead run.

Brugger, who entered the circle in the first inning, closed the door on the Rams in the sixth and seventh innings without a hint of drama. The junior from Levittown scattered nine hits over 6.2 innings and limited the Rams to two runs.

Donato was the only Bear to register a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3. Reimel scored twice and drove in two. Baker led Shepherd at the dish, going 3-for-4 with a double. Ashley Burger and Kylie Condon were each 2-for-3 for the hosts.

Friday marked the first time Kutztown and Shepherd met as PSAC opponents. The Rams joined the conference prior to the 2019-20 academic year, but last year's schedule never reached conference play due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ON DECK
Shepherd makes the return trip to North Campus Field where Kutztown will host the final two games of the series, Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m.