KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Redshirt-junior right hander
Jake Skrocki (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) had it all going on the mound, working at his quick pace, throwing strikes and recording outs. His first career complete game gave Kutztown the series-opening win over Mansfield Friday afternoon, 2-1, in a blistering, 1:45 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division game at North Campus Field.
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Skrocki, who had three previous long outings of seven innings, threw all nine Friday and allowed just one run, striking out five for his sixth victory this season.
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The Golden Bears (21-12 overall, 8-5 PSAC) have now won 21 games so far this season, the most since they won 32 back in 2014.
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KU was outhit by the Mounties (9-21, 0-13) 10-5, but Skrocki seemingly always had the get-out pitch when they had runners on base. The 1-through-4 batters in the lineup all finished with one hit each, including
Ethan Martini (Trevose, Pa./Father Judge),
Antonio Rossillo (Warrington, Pa./Archbishop Wood),
Gavin Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./La Salle College H.S.) and
Mitchell Peers (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown).
Joey Pettinelli (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) had the other hit for the Maroon and Gold.
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Kutztown got on the scoreboard in its first at-bats with three straight one-out hits. Peers had the RBI single following base hits by Rossillo and Moretski, to put KU on top 1-0. Mansfield tied the game in the top of the third via a one-out sacrifice fly by Jacob Houtz.
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The Golden Bears were aided by consecutive throwing errors by the Mounties third baseman in the bottom of the fourth to put runners at second and third with one down.
Dominic Proietto (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) gave his team back the lead with an RBI sacrifice fly to center field and a 2-1 advantage. It was all Skrocki from there as Mansfield had just one baserunner max each inning the rest of the way.
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Kutztown and Mansfield finish off the three-game series at Joseph Shaute Field tomorrow, Saturday, April 15, for two games. Game one is scheduled to begin at noon.
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