FLORENCE, S.C. – For the second time in as many days, the Kutztown University softball team won its opener before falling in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday at the Francis Marion Patriot Invitational in Florence, S.C.
 
The Golden Bears (3-3 overall) scored seven unanswered runs in a span of four innings and then held on late to take down 24th-ranked West Liberty for the second straight day, 8-6. In the nightcap, host Francis Marion jumped out early and kept its foot on the gas, winning 13-1 in five innings.
 
Kutztown concludes its three-day competition at the Francis Marion Invitational with one game, Sunday, Feb. 27, against Lenoir-Rhyne at 10 a.m. KU fell to the Bears 5-3 on Friday.
 
Kutztown 8, #24 West Liberty 6
 
Just as it did in the opener on Friday, Kutztown jumped out early on West Liberty, scoring seven runs before the Bears ever got on the board. KU had three runs cross home plate in the first, two in the second and one each in the third and fourth to stake to a 7-0 lead after four.
 
Following back-to-back singles by Brianna Stocklin (Deptford, N.J./Deptford Township) and Kate Ostaszewski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) to lead off the first, two batters later, Jenna Lipowski (Nanticoke, Pa./Greater Nanticoke Area) delivered in a big way, drilling a three-run homerun, her second in as many days against West Liberty pitching, and KU went up 3-0. Stocklin and Ostaszewski both had three hits and an RBI, while combining to score five runs to lead the KU lineup.
 
Ostaszewski had an RBI double and Hannah Auvil (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point) recorded a run-scoring single to add two more runs to the total in the second. The senior from Philadelphia then used her legs to steal home in the fourth and the Maroon and Gold found themselves leading 7-0.
 
Bridget Bailey (Norwood, Pa./Interboro) once again stifled the West Liberty bats, at least over the course of the first four innings. She allowed four earned runs, but struck out nine batters, one more than Friday afternoon.
 
After Stocklin brought home Hannah Reimel (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent) on an RBI single in the top of the fifth, Kutztown led 8-2. The Bears made it close, however, scoring six straight runs in the last three innings, but Bailey shut down the door to prevent the comeback.
 
Francis Marion 13, Kutztown 1 (5 innings)
 
The Patriots had 13 touch home plate in the first three innings. Kutztown's lone run came in the top of the fifth on a Lipowski RBI single, scoring Stocklin. That KU duo combined for four of the five hits for their team.
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