MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – Staring at the reality of its first 0-3 start since 2014, Kutztown University softball came alive late in game one of Saturday's PSAC Eastern Division doubleheader at Millersville to pull out a 9-8 victory. The Golden Bears rode that momentum to a sweep, taking game two 10-2 in five innings.
 
The Golden Bears put Friday's sweep at the hands of the Marauders in the rearview mirror by evening their record (2-2, 2-2 PSAC East) and drawing head coach Judy Lawes ever closer to 1,000 career wins –now just six away.
 
Freshman outfielder Brianna Hughes (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland) had a memorable afternoon, slugging home runs in each game, including the first of her collegiate career. Hannah Auvil (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point) also stayed hot with four hits, a home run and four RBIs across the two games.
 
GAME 1
Kutztown 9, Millersville 8
 
Hughes put Kutztown ahead early and Jenna Lipowski (Nanticoke, Pa./Greater Nanticoke Area) put them ahead for good late in a come-from-behind victory.
 
Hughes smacked a two-run homer to left center off Marauder pitcher Maddie Guinane in the top of the second, but the Golden Bears were forced to rally after the host's dangerous offense pushed seven runs across in the third and fourth innings.
 
KU climbed back into the game with a three-run fifth, sparked by a lead-off single from Kate Ostaszewski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) and Hannah Auvil's (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point) second home run in three games. Later in the frame, Alyssa Donato's (Cedarville, N.J./Cumberland Regional) fielder's choice scored Hughes to draw the Bears within 7-5.
 
Though Millersville added a run in the bottom of the fifth, Kutztown was far from done with its bats. Back-to-back RBI doubles from Ostaszewski and Auvil made it a one-run game, before Lipowski roped a two-run double to the gap in right for a 9-8 Golden Bear lead.
 
Kutztown got healthy production from the top of its order as 1-4 hitters Ostaszewski, Auvil, Hughes and Lipowski combined to go 10-for-17 with eight RBIs, eight runs scored, five doubles and two home runs. All four players enjoyed multi-hit efforts.
 
The Marauders received home runs from Devan Masciulli, Aleese Angelo and Faith Willenbrock. Willenbrock also doubled and drove in a team-high three runs. Guinane allowed four runs on nine hits over four innings, before being relieved by Alex Schaefer, who took the loss by giving up five runs in 1.1 innings.
 
GAME 2
Kutztown 10, Millersville 2 (5)
 
Kutztown completed the Saturday sweep with much less drama, thanks to 14 hits and strong pitching throughout.
 
Hughes couldn't be contained as she once again opened the scoring with a two-run shot in the top of the first. Auvil followed with an RBI single in the second and Brittany Hubler (Hatboro, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) did the same in the third for a 4-0 Golden Bear lead.
 
Millersville (2-2, 2-2 PSAC East) sliced the lead in half with back-to-back homers from Willenbrock and Gabi Turner in the bottom of the third, but it was all Kutztown the rest of the way.
 
Lipowski and Gillian Walsh (Easton, Pa./Easton) registered run-scoring singles ahead of an RBI double from Paola Texidor (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) in the fourth and Hughes' fourth hit of the game drove in Auvil in the fifth to invoke the mercy rule.
 
The 10 runs and 14 hits were plenty of support for pitchers Bridget Bailey (Norwood, Pa./Interboro) and Amber Brugger (Levittown, Pa./Neshaminy). Bailey took the first half of the game, holding the Marauders to two runs on five hits in 2.1 innings. Brugger got some redemption after a tough start Friday, throwing 2.2 hitless innings to pick up her first win of the year.
 
Hughes went 4-for-4 with two runs and three RBIs to lead the Maroon and Gold bats. The Upper Moreland product is off to a fantastic start to her career with a .571 batting average (8-for-14), eight runs and seven RBIs through her first four games.
 
Paola Texidor (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) was 2-for-2 with a double, RBI and run scored, and Ostaszewski was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.
 
UP NEXT
Kutztown breaks in North Campus Field for the first time this season with a doubleheader against Lock Haven on Friday, March 12. Game one begins at 2:30 p.m.