KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The No. 23 Kutztown University softball team used five homeruns to jolt the offense into taking both games of a non-conference doubleheader against Wilmington University Tuesday at North Campus Field. Game one was 9-2 and game two was 6-3.
 
Freshman Brianna Hughes (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland) pounded out three long balls in the opener and seniors Jenna Lipowski (Nanticoke, Pa./Greater Nanticoke Area) and Alyssa Donato (Cedarville, N.J./Cumberland Regional) both connected on shots in the nightcap as the Golden Bears (21-7 overall) recorded a combined 20 hits and stopped a season-long three-game losing streak.
 
Sarah Harvey (Swanton, Vt./Missisquoi Valley Union) and Amber Brugger (Levittown, Pa./Neshaminy) started games one and two respectively and both threw complete games. Harvey allowed just one earned run and struck out three to earn her sixth victory this season. Brugger gave up two earned runs and sat down seven Wildcat batters to record her fifth win on the year.
 
Hughes had a solo homerun in the first inning, a three-run drive in the third and a solo shot in the sixth to highlight the KU scoring in game one. Hannah Auvil (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point), who eclipsed 100 career hits for her career in the third inning, had a two-run single in the fourth. Lipowski capped the scoring with a two-run double to left field.
 
Wilmington got onto the scoreboard first via an error and then scored its second in the sixth on a single by Isabella Eleazar.
 
The Wildcats also scored first in game two, bringing home two runs via RBI singles by Annie Davila and Alyssa Velasquez to give Wilmington a 2-0 advantage. Lipowski, though, got it all back and then some, driving a 1-1 pitch down the left field line that flew over the foul pole for a grand slam and a 4-2 KU lead.
 
The teams would go scoreless over the next three innings until the Wildcats received a bases loaded walk to pull within one. They threatened in both the fifth and sixth innings as well, but the Maroon and Gold added some cushion thanks to Donato's two-run dinger over the left field fence.
 
Kate Ostaszewski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) had a team-high five hits, finishing 5-for-8 at the plate. Paola Texidor (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) and Hannah Reimel (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent) each added two hits on the day.
 
Kutztown will look to finally complete its four-game series with Mansfield University when it travels to take on the Mounties for two games tomorrow, Wednesday, April 14.