CARY, N.C. -- A clutch-hitting performance from
Mitchell Peers (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown), along with some strong pitching, helped the Kutztown University baseball team open the weekend in North Carolina with a win over Frostburg State 5-4 on Friday afternoon.
Peers' red-hot start to the season continued, as he hit his team-leading third home run of the season in the bottom of the first inning, followed by the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the seventh. He ended the game 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Jimmy Kerley (Indian Trail, N.C./Sun Valley) hit his first home run of the season, while Gavin Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./La Salle College H.S.) went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Jason Wolff (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) and Dominic Proietto (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) also recorded hits in the win.
Jake Skrocki (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) got the start on the mound for KU (3-1 overall) and had a solid showing, only allowing three hits in seven innings pitched and earned the victory. Trevor Leverington (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) relieved Skrocki in the eighth inning, while Gavin Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./La Salle College H.S.) threw the ninth inning and closed the door on Frostburg, earning the save. Jack Maruskin took the loss for the Bobcats (3-2).
Frostburg State opened the scoring in the top of the first inning on an RBI single from Trevor Jones, which was washed out by Peers' two-run homer in the bottom half of the inning to make it 2-1 KU after one. Neither team could get their offense going until the fifth inning when Christian Shertzer hit a three-run home run to make it 4-2 FSU.
The Golden Bears responded in the bottom of the sixth through Kerley's home run to make it 4-3. An RBI double from Moretski, followed by Peers' RBI single in the bottom of the seventh gave KU the 5-4 lead. Leverington and Moretski then finished out the game on the bump for KU, closing out the victory.
The Golden Bears continue the weekend tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 25, with a doubleheader against Clarion. Game one is set to start at 1 p.m., with game two slated for 3:30 p.m. KU recently swept Clarion in a doubleheader only six days ago.
