KUTZTOWN, Pa. -- The Kutztown University baseball team (14-8, 3-3 PSAC East) capped off a series against Lock Haven (9-9, 3-6 PSAC East) in style, taking two games from the Bald Eagles in a doubleheader at North Campus Field Sunday afternoon. Along with Friday's win, the victories secured a series sweep for the Golden Bears.
Game one was the Dominic Proietto (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) show, as the senior righty threw a complete game shutout in a seven-inning 1-0 win that only took an hour and 22 minutes. Game two was a much closer affair, with KU having to come back twice to walk it off 5-4 in 11 innings.
The Golden Bears are back in action on Tuesday, March 28 at home with a doubleheader against PSAC West foes IUP. Game one is set to start at 1 p.m.
Game 1: Kutztown 1, Lock Haven 0
Game one of the day was a pitcher's duel between Dominic Proietto (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) and Kevin Worek of Lock Haven, which the Golden Bears won 1-0.
Proietto pitched a complete game shutout, going seven innings, allowing only three hits while striking out seven and walking one. It was the fifth career complete game and second career shutout for the senior right-hander from Norristown, Pa. Worek took the loss for the Bald Eagles, going six frames while striking out eight.
The hits were few and far in between for both teams, but the Golden Bears had four extra-base hits on five hits. KU's only run came on an RBI double from Ethan Martini (Trevose, Pa./Father Judge) in the bottom of the fifth inning, which was all the run support Proietto needed on the mound.
Martini, Jason Wolff (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough), Jimmy Kerley (Indian Trail, N.C./Sun Valley), and Brian Finn (Warrington, Pa./Springside Chestnut Hill Academy) were the Golden Bears to register doubles, while Gavin Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./La Salle College H.S.) hit a single.
Game 2: Kutztown 5, Lock Haven 4 (11 innings)
Game two was a thriller, with the Golden Bears coming back twice to eventually win the game 5-4 in 11 frames.
KU's two big moments at the plate came with its backs against the wall. Down 3-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Antonio Rossillo (Warrington, Pa./Archbishop Wood) stepped to the plate as a pinch hitter and slapped a two-run home run over the left field wall to tie the game at three apiece.
Lock Haven captured the lead right back in the top of the 11th, which was quickly erased by an error that scored Michael Burns (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) to make it a 4-4 game. It was then Jimmy Kerley (Indian Trail, N.C./Sun Valley) that capped off the comeback in style. The Indian Trail, N.C. native lined a ball over the right fielder's head, which scored Brennan Rozich (Oxford, Pa./Oxford) to walk off the game for the Golden Bears.
Unlike game one, both teams were able to rack up the hits. After throwing a complete game shutout in game one, Dominic Proietto (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) hit a no-doubt home run in the bottom of the second, his only hit of the game. Ethan Martini (Trevose, Pa./Father Judge) recorded his 100th-career hit in the win via a single in the bottom of the first. Along with his walk-off, Kerley led the Golden Bears with three hits in the win. Gavin Morestski was the other Golden Bear with a multi-hit game.
On the mound, Zach Male (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) got the start for KU, allowing two earned runs while striking out six in 4.1 innings of action. Cody Barberio (Green Lane, Pa./Quakertown) pitched 5.1 solid innings in middle relief, allowing only three hits. Trevor Leverington (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) was the pitcher of victory, entering in relief and seeing out the win. Sean Brennan took the loss for Lock Haven.
