KUTZTOWN, Pa. – For what felt like forever, after 25 games away from home, Kutztown softball finally was able to take to the diamond at North Campus Field Friday afternoon as it dropped two Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division games to Bloomsburg by scores of 3-0 and 6-1.
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The cold and windy weather of a March day on North Campus must've affected the bats as the Golden Bears (15-12 overall, 3-5 PSAC) combined for five hits all day and were outhit 23-5 by the Huskies (17-8, 6-2).
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Brianna Stocklin (Deptford, N.J./Deptford Township) and
Emily Henn (Matamoras, Pa./Delaware Valley) each finished with two hits on the day with Henn adding an RBI and Stocklin scoring a run.
Leanna Schenk (Roslyn, Pa./Abington) picked up her second hit of the second as a pinch hitter in game two.
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Kutztown has a quick turnaround and earlier games than originally scheduled because of forecasted rain. KU hosts Mansfield for two games Saturday with first pitch of the opener set for 11:00 a.m., from North Campus Field.
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Bloomsburg 3, Kutztown 0
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Bloomsburg starting pitcher, Callie Sowers, who entered Friday second in the PSAC in earned run average (0.98) and wins (11) was dominant from the opening pitch. She earned her 12th victory of the season, throwing a complete game shutout, allowing just one hit.
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Kutztown's lone hit came with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning as Henn beat out a single to shortstop. Sowers sat down the next batter to clinch the game.
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The Huskies scored a run in each of the fourth, sixth and seventh innings. They outhit the Golden Bears 8-1.
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Bloomsburg 6, Kutztown 1
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It looked as if Kutztown was going to be able to bounce back and salvage a split like it has in its first three conference matchups this season. The Golden Bears got on the scoreboard first with a run in the top of the first inning. After Stocklin led off with a single up the middle, she stole second and then moved over to third thanks to a sacrifice bunt by
Jenna Piatkiewicz (Fogelsville, Pa./Parkland). Henn brought her home with a single the other way to right field and 1-0 lead.
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But from that point on, KU was only able to muster up two more hits the final six innings.
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Bloomsburg tied the game with a run in the top of the third and then took the lead with a three-run, fourth inning.
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Just as game one went, Huskies' starting pitcher, Kelly Eberly made it tough on Maroon and Gold hitters all game, throwing the full seven innings, allowing four hits.
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