CARY, N.C. -- After a day of delays and uncertainties, the Kutztown University baseball team (2-2) finally faced off against Clairon (1-5), using an 11-run seventh inning to defeat the Golden Eagles 14-4 Friday night at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary, N.C.
Michael Burns (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) started at catcher and had a spectacular day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with three RBI in the win. North Carolina native Jimmy Kerley (Indian Trail, N.C./Sun Valley) continued his red-hot start to the season in his home state, notching two hits and three RBI in the win. Antonio Rossillo (Warrington, Pa./Archbishop Wood) saw action as the designated hitter and knocked home two runs. Bo Barthol (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland), Ethan Martini (Trevose, Pa./Father Judge), and Ryan Maloney (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) had an RBI each. Joey Pettinelli (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) scored three runs and had a hit. Dalton Furst (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) recorded his first career collegiate hit.
Things were relatively tame offensively to start the contest. Barthol knocked home Pettinelli with an RBI single to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the third. The Golden Eagles responded with a two-run home run from Scotty McManamon to make it 2-1 in the bottom half of the inning. Burns scored Kerley via a sac fly in the next half-inning to tie the game at two.
Both teams remained scoreless till the seventh. Kerley doubled to left field to score Rossillo, Martini, and Pettinelli to make it 5-2. Burns then doubled to score Jason Wolff (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) and Kerley to extend the lead to 7-2. A wild pitch and a walk drawn by Martini made it 9-2. The scoring onslaught continued when an error scored Pettinelli and Cole Regn (Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional) to make it 11-2. The top of the seventh was capped off with a Rossillo double to score Barthol and Martini, making it 13-2. KU scored 11 runs on only three hits and two errors in the seventh inning.
Clarion added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the game was out of reach at that point. Maloney added another run via a fielder's choice to make it 14-4 in the top of the ninth.
Jake Skrocki (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) got the start on the bump for KU and earned his first win of the season. The Royersford native went six innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs while striking out seven. Tyler Cleveland (Pillow, Pa./Upper Dauphin) and Michael Lennon (Harleysville, Pa./North Penn) saw action in relief. Riley Shafer earned his second loss of the season for Clarion.
The Golden Bears are back in action tomorrow morning against Goldey-Beacom. That game from the USA Baseball Complex has been moved up and is slated to start at 10 a.m.
