GLENVILLE, W.Va. -- Kutztown starting pitchers combined for a no hitter in a 4-0 victory over Alderson Broaddus on Saturday afternoon in Glenville, W. Va. Only two batters reached base safely for the Battlers, as Kutztown Starter
Dominic Proietto (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) and relief pitcher
Paul Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) silenced their bats for the entirety of the game.
Proietto had a masterful performance on the bump for the Maroon and Gold. He threw seven complete innings, recording five of the first six outs by way of strikeout, finishing with a total of 17 strikeouts in total. The 17 strikeouts is the most in the StatCrew era dating back to 1999 and the most single-game strikeouts by a KU pitcher since Pete Riffle struck out 19 against Philadelphia Textile on April 20, 1966. The duo allowed only two baserunners, one coming in the first reaching safely by an error and the other walking in the seventh inning. It is the first no hitter since Doug Conrad accomplished the feat at Salem in 2020.
Moretski would come on for the final two innings, facing the minimum, striking out four of the six batters he faced. The duo was nearly untouchable and combined for 21 strikeouts in the no hitter.
Kutztown's offense got out to an early lead in the bottom of the first inning as leadoff man Mike Kelly (Schwenksville, Pa./Pope John Paul II) started things off with a single up the middle before stealing second base. With a man in scoring position, Jimmy Kerley (Indian Trail, N.C./Sun Valley) singled to left field, bringing Kelly home and giving the Golden Bears the lead. Catcher Antonio Rossillo (Warrington, Pa./Archbishop Wood) blasted a homerun down the left field line to expand the lead to three. All of the Golden Bears' runs came with two outs in the inning.
Joey Pettinelli (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) recorded the only other hit in the game coming in the bottom of the fifth, but was thrown out attempting to steal second to end the inning.
Alderson Broaddus starter, Will Knight settled in after the first inning and put together an impressive outing, throwing seven complete innings only giving up the runs in the first.
The fourth and final Kutztown run came in the bottom of the eight, Brandon Heere (Reading, Pa./Muhlenberg) reached safely to lead off the inning with a walk. Battlers' reliever Julian Rouse struggled with his command, with one passed ball and two wild pitches Heere made it from first to home without the ball ever being put in play.
Moretski closed the door in the top of the eight inning, the four runs scored on the four hits by the Golden Bears proved to be enough to get back in the win column.
Kutztown looks to build upon its momentum with one game remaining on its road trip, taking on Fairmont State Sunday, Feb. 27th, at 2:30 p.m., before returning home.
