SALEM, W. Va.-- The Kutztown University baseball team (3-5) dropped both games of a doubleheader to open a weekend series against Salem (7-3) Saturday afternoon in West Virginia. The Golden Bears fell in game one 8-3, before dropping game two 7-1.
Jimmy Kerley (Indian Trail, N.C./Sun Valley) had a solid day at the plate across both games, racking up three hits, two RBI, and a home run in game two. Dominic Proietto (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) registered a multi-hit game in the second game to go along with an RBI in game one.
KU is back in action tomorrow, Sunday, March 3, to wrap up the series against Salem. First pitch in game one is scheduled for noon.
Game 1: Salem 8, Kutztown 3
The Tigers plated at least a run in the first five innings of action in an 8-3 loss for the Golden Bears.
Salem jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first two frames thanks to an RBI single, a fielder's choice, and an error. Kerley got KU on the board in the top of the third via a single, which scored Bo Barthol (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland) to make it 4-1. The Tigers added four more runs in the next three innings to make it 8-1. A sac fly from Proietto and a Brennan Rozich (Oxford, Pa./Oxford) single scored two more for KU in the sixth, but the Salem pitching staff kept KU off the board for the remainder of the game.
Kerley had two hits in the contest, while Barthol, Ethan Martini (Trevose, Pa./Father Judge), Jason Wolff (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough), Rozich, and Joey Pettinelli (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) had one each. Jake Skrocki (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) took the loss and moved to 1-1 on the season.
Game 2: Salem 7, Kutztown 1
Game two was more of the same, with Salem scoring in each inning they stepped up to the plate in a 7-1 win for the Tigers.
Salem took a 4-0 after three innings, but a solo shot from Kerley made it 4-1. The Indian Trail, N.C. has been hot at the plate to start this campaign, leading KU in hits (11), RBI (9), and home runs (2). The Golden Bears' bats couldn't respond to Salem from that point onwards, registering three hits the rest of the way while the Tigers added three more runs to make it 7-1.
Proietto had two hits, including a double, while Barthol, Martini, and Cole Regn (Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional) had one each. Zach Male (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) took the loss for KU, while Cody Barberio (Green Lane, Pa./Quakertown) saw action in relief.
