BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- The Kutztown University baseball team (17-11, 4-5 PSAC East) struggled on Monday afternoon, dropping both games in a doubleheader to Bloomsburg (11-11, 6-6 PSAC East) at Danny Litwhiler Field.
KU dropped the first game 6-5 after the Huskies won on a walk-off catcher's interference. Junior outfielder Ethan Martini (Trevose, Pa./Father Judge) notched his team-leading seventh home run of the season in the loss. The Huskies then ran away with it in game two, winning 23-5.
KU has a quick turnaround, as it hosts Wilmington (Del.) tomorrow, Tuesday, April 4 at North Campus Field in a single game. First pitch against the Wildcats is slated for 3 p.m.
Game 1: Bloomsburg 6, Kutztown 5
After KU walked it off against the Huskies Friday, Bloomsburg returned the favor in game one, winning via a walk-off in an unorthodox fashion. With the bases loaded in a 5-5 game, the umpire called a catcher's interference, which scored the game-winning run for Bloomsburg.
The Huskies got the scoring going in the bottom of the first with a solo shot from Brady Gibble. KU responded in the next half-inning to tie the game at one after a Bloomsburg error allowed Brennan Rozich (Oxford, Pa./Oxford) to score. Rozich then plated the Golden Bear's second run in the bottom of the third, singling to score Dominic Proietto (Norristown, Pa./Norristown).
Bloomsburg quickly recaptured the lead in the bottom of the fourth, putting two runs across to make it 3-2. The Golden Bear's bats were kept quiet until the top of the sixth. Ethan Martini (Trevose, Pa./Father Judge) launched a two-run home run, his seventh of the campaign, to make it 4-3 KU. A Gavin Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./La Salle College H.S.) double two batters later scored Antonio Rossillo (Warrington, Pa./Archbishop Wood) to extend the lead to 5-3.
The Huskies mounted a comeback in the bottom of the seventh, scoring on an error and a sacrifice fly to tie the game before the catcher's interference plated the winning run for Bloomsburg.
Martini ended the game with another three RBI performance, while Rossillo was the best Golden Bears at the dish, going 3-for-4 with a run. Proietto and Rozich were the other Golden Bears with a multi-hit game, with Rozich and Moretski had an RBI each.
Zach Male (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) got the start on the bump for KU and pitched a solid five innings, allowing three earned runs while striking out seven. Cole Coolbaugh earned the win for Bloomsburg, while Tyler Cleveland (Pillow, Pa./Upper Dauphin) took the loss in relief for the Golden Bears.
Game 2: Bloomsburg 23, Kutztown 5
A seven-run second inning, followed by an 11-run fifth inning was enough for the Huskies as they ran away with a 23-5 victory in game two.
At the plate, Michael Burns (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) went 1-for-3 with two RBI in the loss. Antonio Rossillo (Warrington, Pa./Archbishop Wood) and Gavin Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./La Salle College H.S.) were the other Golden Bears with an RBI. Brian Finn (Warrington, Pa./Springside Chestnut Hill Academy) was the only Golden Bear with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with two doubles. Cole Regn (Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional), Mitchell Peers (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown), Jason Wolff (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough), and Joey Pettinelli (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) were the other KU batters with a hit.
Cody Barberio (Green Lane, Pa./Quakertown) got the start on the bump and took the loss, while Scott Gilbert was credited with the win for Bloomsburg.
