MILLERSVILLE, Pa. -- Matt Ziminsky (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) threw a complete game six-hitter in game two, but it wasn't quite enough to gain the Kutztown University baseball team a split in Friday's PSAC East doubleheader at Millersville. The host Marauders held on for a 2-1 victory after cruising 13-2 in the opener.

Ziminsky was outstanding against the conference leaders, limiting the scoring to RBI singles in the second and third innings while striking out six. It marked the sixth time in nine starts this season the Whitehall native has fanned six or more, including each of his last three starts.

GAME 1
Millersville 13, Kutztown 2

Playing with a shorthanded roster and down multiple starters, the Golden Bears quickly fell into a 4-0 hole after an inning and never recovered.

Bren Taylor tripled home Jimmy Losh for the game's first run and Millersville completed the scoring with a bang as Eric Callahan connceted for a two-run home run to left.

The Marauders added to their lead with three runs in the third and fourth inning, before Kutztown finally recorded its first hit and run in the top of the fifth.

KU's first two runners reached against Ville starting pitcher Jeff Taylor on an error and hit by pitch, but Taylor retired the next 14 in order. Brandon Heere (Reading, Pa./Muhlenberg) and Joey Pettinelli (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) drew back-to-back walks with two outs in the fifth and Ethan Martini (Feasterville-Trevose, Pa./Father Judge) singled in Heere to break the goose egg on the scoreboard for the Bears.

Millersville hung another three spot in the sixth to make it 13-1 before Kutztown put traffic on the base paths in the seventh and completed the scoring on a Martini fielder's choice. Jason Wolff (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) recorded his second career hit, while pinch hitters Evan Musto (Exeter, Pa./Wyoming Area) and Colin Kelly (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) each drew walks.

Taylor improved to 8-1 overall and remained unbeaten in conference play by allowing one run and one hit over five. He struck out six.

Steve Wagner (Henderson, Nev./Boulder City) took the loss after struggling with command during an abbreviated 3.1 inning outing. Freshman Gavin Grande (Newtown Square, Pa./Malvern Prep) pitched the final 2.2 innings.

GAME 2
Millersville 2, Kutztown 1

Ziminsky was the story for Kutztown in the "nightcap" which was played during the early afternoon after game one was moved up to a 10 a.m. start due to the threat of rain.

Though the Marauders were able to get run-scoring singles from Mark Miller in the second and Luke Trainer in the third, the redshirt-sophomore battled Millersville's lineup throughout the game and yielded just one extra-base hit in his first career complete game.

Andy Blum (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) singled in the second and Cole Regn (Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional) in the third, but the Bears (17-19, 11-19 PSAC East) couldn't break through.

The fourth represented KU's best chance to cut into Millersville's (24-11, 21-8 PSAC East) lead, as Mitchell Peers (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown) led off with a double and Zach Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./La Salle College H.S.) singled to put runners on the corners with one out. Paul Wilson got Blum looking, hit Mike Piscotty (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Hanover Area) to load the bases and induced a Connor Teschko (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley Regional) lineout to short to quell the threat.

Kutztown made things interesting in the sixth, using a Zach Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./La Salle College H.S.) hit by pitch, Ville error and Piscotty double to the gap in right to make it a 2-1 game. Unfortunately, they'd get no more, leaving the tying run stranded at second.

Christian Wingard was able to retire the Maroon and Gold in order in the seventh for his third save of the year.

Both teams finished with six hits from six different batters and KU's Regn swiped the first bag of his career. Wilson tossed four scoreless, four-hit innings and struck out four in picking up the win. Ziminsky took the tough defeat to fall to 2-4. He surrendered two runs on six hits, walked one and struck out six on a very efficient 77 pitches.

ON DECK
Kutztown concludes its 2021 season by hosting the Marauders for a pair of games on Saturday at North Campus Field. First pitch is scheduled for noon.