WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The Kutztown University softball team won both games of its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon at West Chester University, and in doing so, earned a spot in the upcoming PSAC Tournament. KU won game one by a score of 5-3, and took game two 8-7, in 10 innings.
 
The Golden Bears (27-11 overall, 21-9 PSAC) clinched a spot in the eight-team, best of three series tournament, which begins Wednesday, May 5. The top-four teams from both the East and West Divisions qualify. Kutztown is currently the two seed, but has two games in hand on Shepherd (20-8 PSAC). The top-two seeds from each division will host quarterfinal round series on their campuses May 5. KU has all but locked in a top-two position.
 
Kutztown used a three-run seventh inning to comeback and win game one. KU then allowed a tying run in the seventh of the nightcap, but scored the winner in the 10th thanks to an RBI single by Jenna Lipowski (Nanticoke, Pa./Greater Nanticoke Area), to end a game that took three hours and 15 minutes to play.
 
Lipowski finished 5-for-8 at the plate with four RBIs, all in game two. Brianna Hughes (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland) recorded four hits combined and added three runs and three RBIs. Both Hannah Auvil (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point) and Hannah Reimel (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent) had three hits each on the day. Auvil also scored three runs and had an RBI.
 
Sarah Harvey (Swanton, Vt./Missisquoi Valley Union) started inside the circle in game one and earned the victory, her eighth this season. She pitched seven innings and allowed three earned runs, striking out four. Amber Brugger (Levittown, Pa./Neshaminy) threw all 10 innings of game two and recorded her ninth win of the year.
 
Kutztown hopes to finally complete a two-game set at Mansfield on Monday, April 26. The two teams have had to postpone this series four different times. It will be the regular season finale for KU. Game one is scheduled for 2 p.m.
 
Kutztown 5, West Chester 3
 
Kutztown scored a run in its first at-bats via an RBI groundout by Alyssa Donato (Cedarville, N.J./Cumberland Regional). West Chester (18-12, 14-12) answered with three runs in its first at-bats to take a 3-1 lead. Harvey settled in from there, pitching shutout ball the remainder of the way. KU, though, would only score one run over the course of the next five innings, a Hughes RBI double in the fifth, and trailed 3-2 in the top of the seventh inning.
 
The KU offense broke out in big fashion in the inning as the first five batters recorded hits. Kate Ostaszewski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) led off with a double to center field, followed by a doubled from Auvil that tied the game at 3-3, and then a two-run home run by Hughes. It was Auvil's PSAC-leading 15th doubled this season. Lipowski and Donato followed with singles, but were stranded at first and second.
 
Harvey faced the minimum batters in the bottom-half of the seventh. After recording the first out of the inning, the Golden Rams had a single, but the runner was then doubled up in the ensuing at-bat.
 
Kutztown 8, West Chester 7 (10 inn.)
 
Kutztown found itself in a hole early. After the teams traded runs in the first as the score was deadlocked at 1-1, West Chester had a four-run bottom of the second inning to go on top 5-1.
 
KU answered in its ensuing at-bats as Lipowski ripped a three-run home run over the left field wall to pull her team back to within one at 5-4. Donato followed suit in the fifth, blasting a three-run drive over the center field wall as the Maroon and Gold took back the lead, 7-5.
 
The Golden Rams chipped away with a run in the bottom of the fifth and were down to their last out, trailing 7-6 in the seventh. Brugger got the first two batters to groundout, but a walk and a wild pitch put a runner on second base. West Chester then singled to right field and the runner touched home plate just before the final out of the inning was recorded on a throw by Reimel to Jenna Martinez (Oracle, Ariz./Canyon del Oro) at second base, nabbing the hitter trying to advance to second.
 
The teams went scoreless in the first two extra innings, but in the top of the 10th, Lipowski singled through the right side into right field that allowed Hughes (started the inning on second base) to score the game-winning run. Brugger faced the minimum batters and was helped by a double play ball to get out of any damage.