Box Score 1 | Box Score 2



MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – In the first action of its 10-day spring break trip down south, the Kutztown University softball team took down Hillsdale College 10-2 in five innings in the opener Sunday afternoon, before falling to host Barry University 6-4 in the evening on the campus of Barry in Miami Shores, Fla.
 
The Golden Bears (5-4 overall) left campus on their trek south on Wednesday, March 9, but had their first games against Wingate University, scheduled for the following day postponed. Sunday marked the first games for the Maroon and Gold since Sunday, Feb. 27.
 
Sarah Harvey (Swanton, Vt./Missisquoi Valley Union) earned her first victory of the season, starting the game against Hillsdale. She also went 2-for-3 at the plate and set a new career-high with three RBIs. Brianna Hughes (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland) led the KU offense with five hits in six at-bats, including a homerun, adding three RBIs and three runs scored. Both Kate Ostaszewski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) and Hannah Auvil (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point) hit .500 on the day, going 3-for-6 at the plate. Ostaszewski scored three runs while Auvil recorded three RBIs and had a homerun.
 
Kutztown plays two against Palm Beach Atlantic tomorrow, Monday, March 14, with times set for 3 p.m., and 5 p.m., from West Palm Beach, Fla.
 
Kutztown 10, Hillsdale 2 (5 innings)
 
It's always a good thing to win a game in less than seven innings when possible, especially in the first of two games in a day. Kutztown was able to do just that and save its energy for another to follow.
 
Auvil's two-run homerun got things going offensively for the KU bats in the three-hole, following a hit-by-pitch from Ostaszewski. After a scoreless second inning, the Golden Bears returned to scoring and had another multi-run frame, bringing three runners across home plate, highlighted by an RBI single from Harvey, helping herself out for run support. Two other runs plated because of a throwing error by the Chargers catcher.
 
Kutztown put the game away and went up by double figures with a five-run, fourth inning. Harvey once again wanted to pad her lead and ripped a two-run double the opposite way down the right field line. Hughes, Kristin Geesey (Bainbridge, Pa./Elizabethtown) and Brianna Stocklin (Deptford, N.J./Deptford Township) all added run-scoring singles in the inning to cap the KU scoring.
 
Harvey went five innings, strong, allowing season-lows in hits (3) and runs (2), while striking out three. She got into a little jam in the fifth, but got the final out after back-to-back, two-out hits and a passed ball with runners in scoring position.
 
Hughes had a hit in every at-bat, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Geesey finished 2-for-3 with an RBI.
 
Barry 6, Kutztown 4
 
Although Kutztown outhit Barry 7-6, it came up short on the scoreboard. KU had a slow start going scoreless through the first three innings before two extra-base hits gave Kutztown the lead following a Bucs solo shot in the bottom of the second. Auvil ripped a double to center field that brought home Ostaszewski. Hughes then connected on a solo drive over the left center field wall for a 2-1 advantage.
 
The game flipped back in Barry's favor in the fifth as the Bucs exploded for four runs and had four of their six hits the entire game in that inning, going back on top 5-2.
 
The Golden Bears chipped away at their deficit with two more runs in the ensuing half inning with a sacrifice fly by Jenna Lipowski (Nanticoke, Pa./Greater Nanticoke Area) and an RBI single from Hughes. But that would be all of the scoring Kutztown could muster.