KUTZTOWN, Pa. – After getting shutout in the first game, the Kutztown University softball team did not want to be swept in its final home regular season series. KU responded behind the arm of junior pitcher Amber Brugger (Levittown, Pa./Neshaminy) and the bat of classmate Kate Ostaszewski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) to salvage a split with West Chester University Friday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference action at North Campus Field. WCU took game one, 2-0, and KU was victorious in game two, 5-3.
 
The Golden Bears (25-11 overall, 19-9 PSAC) were playing on the North Campus Field for the final time during the regular season and did not want to go out with two losses. KU has the potential of hosting one or more PSAC postseason series, as the conference is holding the tournament on campuses of higher seeds this season. The top four seeds from the East and West Divisions will make the big dance. Kutztown currently sits in second place in the East behind Shepherd (24-9, 20-8), which it took three-of-four games from earlier this season.
 
Brugger took the ball in the nightcap and went the distance, allowing just two earned runs to record her eighth victory this season. She also struck out three batters. Ostaszewski, who pinch hit for Paola Texidor (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) in the bottom of the second inning, doubled that frame, bringing home two runs. She finished with three hits in the game and the two RBIs.
 
Brianna Hughes (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland) had two hits in the opener.
 
The two teams return to the diamond for another doubleheader tomorrow, Saturday, April 24, at West Chester University. Game one is schedule to start at 1 p.m.
 
West Chester 2, Kutztown 0
 
The game went scoreless over the course of the first six innings until West Chester mustered up three hits and two runs. The key hit came on an RBI triple by Annamarie Hartman, which brought home the game's first run, and winning run, Asia Barnard, who pinch-ran for Haleigh Karcher, who led off the inning with a single. Hartman then came around to tack on another Golden Rams run three batters later following a single by Grace Aguilar.
 
The two runs was all Jen Hanshaw needed. The starting pitcher threw a complete game shutout, allowing just three KU hits, and struck out two batters for her eighth win this season. The Golden Bears threatened to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning as Hughes ripped a double down the left field line that just touched the chalk, but she was stranded one batter later.
 
KU starting pitcher, Sarah Harvey (Swanton, Vt./Missisquoi Valley Union), went seven strong innings, allowing just the two earned runs on seven hits.
 
Kutztown's three hits came from the bats of freshmen Hughes and Hannah Reimel (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent), the former with two.
 
Kutztown 5, West Chester 3
 
West Chester once again got on the scoreboard first, thanks to a solo home run in the second.
 
Ostaszewski, who was not in head coach Judy Lawes' starting lineup, entered the game in the bottom of the second inning as a pinch hitter. She quickly made her impact felt, lacing a double to left field that scored Brugger and Harvey to put KU on top 3-1. Pinch runner Sam Trafford (Jamison, Pa./Central Bucks West) came home the batter prior as Brugger's bunt wasn't fielded cleanly by the Golden Rams pitcher.
 
In the third, the Maroon and Gold tacked on two more runs. Hannah Auvil (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point) reached on an error and then was moved over to second by a Reimel bunt. Jenna Lipowski (Nanticoke, Pa./Greater Nanticoke Area) followed that up with a run-scoring single up the middle. After a base hit by Alyssa Donato (Cedarville, N.J./Cumberland Regional) to put runners at the corners, Harvey connected on a sacrifice fly to left field and Mya Zettlemoyer (Allentown, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) touched home plate to make it 5-1 in favor of KU.
 
Brugger allowed a run in the fifth and then workout out of a jam in the last inning as she recorded the final out with runners on first and third and the go-ahead run at the plate.