KUTZTOWN, Pa. – A day after a couple of lopsided losses on the road, the Kutztown University baseball team returned to the friendly confines of North Campus Field for a two-game set with West Chester University Saturday afternoon. The Golden Bears won one-of-two against the Golden Rams on senior day in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division series. KU won game one 5-2, but fell in game two 18-1.
 
The Golden Bears (17-17 overall, 11-17 PSAC) evened their record at .500, and bounced back after being outscored 39-4 in Friday's doubleheader at West Chester. KU honored four of its seniors on senior day, including Collin Bishop (Laurel Springs, N.J./Highland Regional), Evan Musto (Exeter, Pa./Wyoming Area), Connor Teschko (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley Regional) and Steve Wagner (Henderson, Nev./Boulder City), and was able to leave the field with a victory for the quartet.
 
Freshman Zach Male (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) pitched a complete game, five-hitter, allowing just two earned runs while striking out seven for his team-leading sixth victory this season. He has a 3.13 ERA.
 
Ethan Martini (Feasterville-Trevose, Pa./Father Judge) went 3-for-4 in game one and had an RBI. Andy Blum (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs scored, and Teschko went 1-for-2 with a run and an RBI.
 
Kutztown is set to take on Millersville University in its last regular season series in two weeks. The first doubleheader will be played at Millersville on Friday, May 7, before the teams return to North Campus Field for the season finale the next day. Both days are set to begin at noon.
 
Kutztown 5, West Chester 2
 
Another quality start by the freshman pitcher Male, getting the job done today for the Golden Bears on the mound. Both teams would benefit from strong starting pitching performances, limiting both offenses to three total hits through innings.
 
In the top of the fourth inning, the Golden Rams would break through first scoring two runs single up the middle by Brian Verratti with runners on second and third.
 
The Golden Bears would answer with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth. After a leadoff double by Mitchell Peers (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown), Andy Blum (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) launched a two-run homerun to right field to tie the game up at two a piece.
 
After another shut down inning by Male, Kutztown would break the game open scoring three runs with two outs in the inning. Following two walks, the Maroon and Gold had runners on first and second, Teschko singled through the left side scoring one giving KU their first lead of the series. Mike Piscotty (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Hanover Area) would advance to third on a throwing error by the left fielder. Teschko would steal second base, and end up at third after a wild pitch that ultimately brought Piscotty in to score. Martini would single in the runner from third to cap off the big sixth inning by the Golden Bears.
 
 Male would close the door in the top of the seventh retiring the Rams in order to seal the complete game win for Kutztown.
 
Male would get the win for Kutztown, now an impressive 6-1 on the year for the freshman. Jack Slade, who came in to start off the sixth inning in relief, takes the loss the West Chester.
 
West Chester 18, Kutztown 1
 
West Chester would jump out to an early one run lead in the top of the first inning. The leadoff hitter doubled to start the game and would come in to score on a single to right center. The score would remain the same until the top of the fourth inning, where the Golden Rams would go on to score eight runs on just four hits in the inning. West Chester benefited from disciplined approaches at the plate, aggressive base running, and a three-run home run from their first baseman Hall.
 
The Golden Bears did their best to answer in the bottom half of the inning. Peers lead off the inning with a double down the left field line, coming around to score after Zach Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./La Salle College H.S.) singled to center. The Rams would manage to stop the KU offense there.
 
West Chester would go on to score nine runs over the next three innings, highlighted by a seven-run top of the seventh that would put the game way out of reach of the Golden Bears. Gavin Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./La Salle College H.S.) takes the loss for Kutztown now 2-4 on the year. Andrew Cantwell gets the complete game victory for the Rams, moving to 2-1 on the season.