KUTZTOWN, Pa - Zach Moretki's two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning was all the offense the Golden Bears needed to take home game one of the doubleheader against Mansfield Sunday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division action. Defensive miscues in the nightcap led to the Mountaineers bouncing back and splitting the day in Kutztown.
Game One - Kutztown 2, Mansfield 0
The Golden Bears' starter, Dominic Proietto (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) earned his fourth win of the season in complete-game fashion, throwing a complete game shut out, scattering five hits and one walk over seven innings while striking out five.Â
Kutztown's offense was held to only three hits but was able to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Ethan Martini (Trevose, Pa./Father Judge) led off the inning with a walk and was driven in on Moretski's shot to left-center giving the Golden Bears a 2-0 lead.Â
The Mountaineers threatened in the top of the seventh inning. Zach Shertzer led off the inning with a single making his way around to third. He was left stranded to end the game as Proietto struck out his fifth batter to end the game as Kutztown celebrated its 125 year anniversary celebration with a victory in front of almost 40 former players spanning six decades.
Game Two - Mansfield 7, Kutztown 3
The Mountaineers jumped ahead early, bringing in one run to score on three hits in the first inning. The Golden Bears were able to work out of the damage and strand two baserunners in scoring position.Â
Kutztown answered in the bottom half of the inning after the leadoff batter was retired to start the inning. Gavin Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./La Salle College H.S.) and Antonio Rossillo (Warrington, Pa./Archbishop Wood) both singled to get the offense started. With runners on first and, third Mitchell Peers (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown) drove in Moretski to tie the game on a ground out to first base.Â
Mansfield scored again in the top of the third inning after the lead-off hitter reached base safely advancing to second on the play. He would eventually come in to score on a single up the middle giving the Mountaineers a 2-1 lead.Â
The Golden Bears tied the game at two apiece in the bottom of the fifth with two hits in the inning. Mike Piscotty (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Hanover Area) led off the Golden Bears with a double down the right-field line. With two down in the inning, Mike Kelly (Schwenksville, Pa./Pope John Paul II) drove in Piscotty on a single to left field.Â
The Maroon and Gold took a one-run lead in the bottom of the sixth, scoring one run on two hits in the inning. Rossillo led off the inning with a walk, followed by two singles by Martini and Zach Morestki. Coming in to score on Moretski's single through the left side of the inning.Â
Kutztown's defensive miscues in the top of the seventh led to the Mountaineers scoring three runs in the inning with only one hit. The first three batters all reached base safely on errors by the Golden Bear infield, all of which came in to score in the inning. The Mountaineers' lead would only continue to grow, scoring two more runs in the top of the ninth on one hit and one error in the inning.Â
The four-run deficit would prove to be too difficult to overcome as the Golden Bears would be shut out in the bottom half of the inning, dropping the second game of the doubleheader 7-3.
Kutztown starter, Zach Male (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) gets tagged with the loss for the Golden Bears, throwing six innings and allowing five runs in the game, only one earned. Eric Gustofson earned the win for Mansfield improving to 2-4 on the inning.
The Golden Bears are back in action on Monday as they head to Corning NY, to take on Mansfield at 2:00 p.m.
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