KUTZTOWN, Pa - Despite leading for most of the afternoon, Kutztown University baseball fell to Shippensburg 7-3 after a late-inning rally by the Raiders.
Despite giving up three runs and three hits in the first inning, Shippensburg starter Nick Zegna settled in only allowing two other hits in the other nine innings.
With three hits and three Shippensburg errors, the Golden Bears jumped in front 3-0 in the bottom of the first inning. The first four Kutztown batters reached base safely in the inning, Mike Kelly (Schwenksville, Pa./Pope John Paul II) led the offense off with a bang, doubling to left center field.
Both offenses would be held silent until Shippensburg managed to score one run in the top of the third with one hit in the inning. After walking the leadoff man, the Maroon and Gold managed to retire two in the inning before a single through the left side by Jafari Williams drove in the Raiders' first run.
Both offenses were held scoreless until the top of the seventh when Shippensburg cut the lead to only one. Taking advantage of a Golden Bear error and two singles in the inning the Maroon and Gold's lead was cut to 3-2.
Down to their final two outs, Shippensburg managed to get their inning started after Joe Barbera was hit by a pitch. The Raiders then recorded two base hits to drive in Barbera to tie the game at three.
The Golden Bears would fail to answer in the bottom half of the inning and the Raiders took advantage in the top of the 10th. Sending nine batters to the plate, KU scored four runs on two hits in the inning to take a 7-3 lead.
The Maroon and Gold offense tallied five hits in the competition by four different players. Mike Kelly (Schwenksville, Pa./Pope John Paul II) led the offense with two hits and the only extra-base hit for the Golden Beats. Gavin Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./La Salle College H.S.), Austin Gromlich (Hamburg, Pa./Hamburg), and Colt Narciso (Norristown, Pa./Pope John Paul II) each added a hit of their own.
Nick Zegna earned the win for his ten inning effort and improves to 5-3 on the year. Moretski took the loss for the Golden Bears coming in relief in the ninth inning, falling to 2-8 on the season.
Kutztown will head to Shippensburg tomorrow, Saturday, April 16, to complete the series against the Raiders. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
