WINGATE, N.C. -- Kutztown University baseball dropped game one of a three-game series to reigning national champion and top-ranked Wingate, 16-6, Friday evening. The Golden Bears were down one run heading into the bottom of the sixth before the Bulldogs pulled away by scoring five runs in the sixth and eighth innings.
The Bulldog offense got off to a hot start scoring six runs in the first two innings. Kutztown starting pitcher Zach Male (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) settled in after the rocky start, shutting down Wingate's offense in each of the next two innings before being relieved.
Kutztown (2-3) bounced back in the top of the third, bringing the game back within reach by scoring four runs on five hits. The offensive outburst was highlighted by a two-run homer from Mitchell Peers (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown), his first of the season.
After three clean innings, the Bulldog (9-0) offense came back to life in the bottom of the sixth. With two away in the inning, Wingate got a man on after being hit by a pitch, followed by back-to-back home runs to right field. The Bulldogs scored two more on a double down the left field line and led 11-5 heading into the seventh.
The game would continue to slip away from the Golden Bears, as the Bulldog offense piled on five more runs before all was said and done. The Maroon and Gold loaded the bases in the top of the ninth in a final effort to pull back into the game, but managed only one run on a sacrifice fly from Ethan Martini (Trevose, Pa./Father Judge).
Six different Golden Bears recorded a hit in the game. Mike Kelly (Schwenksville, Pa./Pope John Paul II) and Antonio Rossillo (Warrington, Pa./Archbishop Wood) led the Kutztown offense with two hits a piece.
Male suffered the loss for the Golden Bears, moving to 0-2 on the season, while Jordan Howard got his first win of the season after entering the game in the third inning and shutting down the Kutztown offense for 3.1 innings.
The Golden Bears will look to bounce back as the series continues tomorrow, Saturday Feb. 19, with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
