KUTZTOWN, Pa. -- Kutztown University baseball drops a pair of games at home against Bloomsburg and the Huskies complete the series sweep against the Golden Bears. Taking the game one win in a low scoring extra inning competition 4-3 in eight innings, game two a much more offensive battle by both sides, finishing at 10-8, Saturday afternoon at North Campus Field in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division action.
GAME 1
Bloomsburg 4, Kutztown 3 (8)
Bloomsburg struck first, scoring one run in the top of the first inning on two hits. Kyle OFier led off the inning with a double over the center fielder's head, eventually coming in to score on a double down the left field line in the inning.
Kutztown answered in the bottom-half of the inning, evening the game at one apiece. Mitchell Peers (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown) led off the inning with a single down the left field line, after making his way to third, Peers was driven in on a fielder's choice on a ground ball from Mike Piscotty (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Hanover Area).
The Huskies did their best to distance themselves from the Maroon and Gold, scoring a run in both of the next two innings. One run came in the third inning after a double from both Brady Gibble and Ben Newcome. The other run came in the top of the fourth after a lead off walk made its way around the bases to score on a wild pitch.
The Golden Bears tied the game in the bottom of the fifth, scoring two runs on three hits in the inning. With one down in the inning, Piscotty led the Golden Bears off with a single to right field. After a strikeout and walk, Kutztown had runners on first and second with two down in the inning. Gavin Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./La Salle College H.S.) singled to left field bringing Piscotty in to score and moving Brennan Rozich (Oxford, Pa./Oxford) up to second. Rozich came in to score on a single by Jimmy Kerley (Indian Trail, N.C./Sun Valley), tying the game at three.
Game one of the double header needed extra innings to determine the winner, both teams squared off at 3-3 at the end of the seventh inning. Bloomsburg took over the lead in the top of the eight inning, leading off the inning with the first two batters reaching base safely before being bunted over to third. After a strikeout, Kutztown had two down in the inning but could not get out of the jam. Both runners were awarded a base after a balk from the Kutztown pitcher, giving the Huskies a 4-3 lead.
Dalton Geiger (Leesport, Pa./Schuylkill Valley) took the loss for the Golden Bears, now 0-1 on the season. Nate Baranski improves to 3-1 on the season.
GAME 2
Bloomsburg 10, Kutztown 8
The nightcap of the double header saw much more offensive action than in game one, with a combined 18 runs and 19 hits. The Golden Bears outhit the Huskies with 12 hits to their seven but made three costly errors in the field, Bloomsburg's clean defensive effort proving to be the difference. The Huskies jumped out to a quick 9-0 lead, scoring in each of the first four innings.
Kutztown began to show life in the bottom of the fourth inning, driving in four runs on five hits in the inning. Peers led off the inning with the Golden Bears first hit in the game. Ethan Martini (Trevose, Pa./Father Judge) reached safely on a bunt single, Cole Regn (Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional) was hit by a pitch and the Maroon and Gold had bases loaded with two outs in the inning. Mike Kelly (Schwenksville, Pa./Pope John Paul II), Moretski, and Antonio Rossillo (Warrington, Pa./Archbishop Wood) all singled, driving in four runs, cutting Bloomsburg's lead to five.
After a clean fifth and six inning Bloomsburg scored again to expand their lead in the top of the seventh inning. In the bottom half of the inning Kutztown did their best to overcome a six run deficit, bringing four across the plate on four hits in the inning. After the first two batters were retired, Martini reached base safely after being hit by a pitch to get the offense started. The next four batters all recorded hits, Colt Narciso (Norristown, Pa./Pope John Paul II), Regn, Kelly, and Morestki driving in all four runs in the inning.
Matt Vernieri was able to shut down the Golden Bear momentum and earn the save for the Huskies. Kolby Barrow earned the win for the Huskies and improves to 2-0 on the season, Moretski gets tagged with Kutztown's loss, now is 2-5 on the year.
The Golden Bears are scheduled to take on Jefferson at home at 3 p.m., Tuesday, March 29.
