KUTZTOWN, Pa. -- After five unanswered runs from Bloomsburg in the eighth and ninth innings, the Kutztown University baseball team (17-9, 3-4 PSAC East) looked to be down and out. Despite that, the Golden Bears were able to mount a comeback, capped off by a
Cole Regn (Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional) walk off single, to take down Bloomsburg (9-11, 4-6 PSAC East) 6-5 in ten innings Friday afternoon at North Campus Field.
Runs were few and far between in the early innings, but three RBI from Ethan Martini (Trevose, Pa./Father Judge), including his sixth homer of the season in the bottom of the fifth, had the KU lead at 3-0 entering the top of the eighth. After only having two hits all game, the Huskies exploded for four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to capture the lead. Bloomsburg plated another run in the top of the ninth, which made it 5-3 entering the bottom of the ninth.
The KU comeback started in the bottom of the ninth with a single from Regn, followed by an RBI double from the pinch hitter Dominic Proietto (Norristown, Pa./Norristown), which made it 5-4. Joey Pettinelli (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) kept it going with a single, which advanced pinch runner Zach Tropiano (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) to third. It was then Martini, who knocked home the tying run and his fourth RBI of the game via a sacrifice fly that tied the game at five.
In the top of the tenth, relief pitcher Gavin Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./La Salle College H.S.) shut the door on the Huskies, setting the stage for the bottom of the tenth. Mitchell Peers (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown) doubled for KU's first base runner, followed by an error that saw Jimmy Kerley (Indian Trail, N.C./Sun Valley) reach base. Jason Wolff (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) then popped a ball up to the pitcher, but a defensive miscommunication from Bloomsburg left the bases uncovered, which advanced both Peers and Kerley. It was then Regn, who singled through the right side of the infield to score Peers for the 6-5 win.
At the plate, Martini led the way with his four RBI. His 32 RBI is currently the second-best mark in the PSAC. Pettinelli had one of his best days at the plate this season, as the shortstop went 3-for-4. Regn, who entered the game late as a defensive substitution, ended the game with two hits. Peers was the other Golden Bear to record a multi-hit game in the win.
Through the first seven innings, the game was a pitcher duel between Jake Skrocki (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) and Jared Marshman of Bloomsburg. Skrocki went seven innings, allowing four hits while striking out four. Moretski was the winning pitcher for KU, going three innings while allowing three hits and one earned run, while recording his 100th career hit at the plate. Matt Vernieri took the loss for the Huskies.
The Golden Bears have already matched last year's PSAC win total and have won seven of their last eight games. After multiple schedule changes due to the weather, KU will travel to Bloomsburg on Monday, April 3 to conclude the series with a doubleheader starting at noon.
