SHEPHERDSTOWN, W. Va.-- The Kutztown University baseball team (13-24, 7-13 PSAC East) dropped both games of a doubleheader to wrap up a four-game series against Shepherd (15-17, 10-10 PSAC East) Sunday afternoon at Fairfax Field.
The Golden Bears dropped game one 10-1, before falling just short of a comeback in a 9-8 loss in game two. The Rams claimed the series, winning three of four after the teams split a doubleheader Saturday at North Campus Field.
KU is back in action next weekend for a four-game PSAC East series against Mansfield. The first two games will take place at Mansfield on Friday, April 19 starting at 1 p.m.
Game 1: Shepherd 10, Kutztown 1
The Golden Bear offense struggled in game one, being held to only four hits throughout the game. The Rams on the other hand found success through the long ball, scoring nine of their 10 runs via six home runs.
The Golden Bears got on the board in the top of the seventh when Antonio Rossillo (Warrington, Pa./Archbishop Wood) hit his second home run of the season to make it 10-1. Rossillo, along with Bo Barthol (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland), Zack Wertman (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg), and Jimmy Kerley (Indian Trail, N.C./Sun Valley) had the Golden Bears' hits in the contest. Zach Male (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) surpassed 200 career strikeouts on the bump, while Kannon Zdimal (Morgantown, Pa./Twin Valley) saw action in relief. Trevor Sharp earned the win for Shepherd.
Game 2: Shepherd 9, Kutztown 8
The Golden Bear offense had a slow start in game two, going down 6-1 after four innings. KU's lone run came via a Jason Wolff (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) sac fly in the top of the third.
The Golden Bears got things going in the top of the fifth. With two outs in the frame, Kerley rocketed his sixth home run of the season to make it 6-2. Three batters later, Dominic Proietto (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) added another run via an RBI single to make it 6-3. Brennan Rozich (Oxford, Pa./Oxford) earned a walk to cap off a three-run fifth for KU.
The momentum rolled over into the top of the sixth. Kerley and Wolff knocked home back-to-back runs via RBI singles to make it 9-6. Proietto added another RBI through a sac fly to make it 9-7. In the seventh, the Golden Bears loaded the bases with no outs, and an Ethan Martini (Trevose, Pa./Father Judge) sac fly cut it to 9-8. Chris Chaney was able to retire the final two Golden Bears with two runners left on base to hold onto the win.
Kerley, Wolff, and Proietto all ended with two hits and two RBI each. Martini and Rozich had the other RBI. Trevor Leverington (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) got the start for KU, while Michael Lennon (Harleysville, Pa./North Penn) saw action in relief. Tanner Dixon earned the win for Shepherd.
