KUTZTOWN, Pa.-- The Kutztown University baseball team (16-28, 9-17 PSAC East) staved off Shippensburg (24-18, 17-13 PSAC East) in game two of a doubleheader split in the final games at North Campus Field in 2024 on Friday afternoon.
Both games were low-scoring affairs highlighted by solid pitching performances from both squads. KU racked up only three hits in a 4-1 game one loss. In game two, the Golden Bear offense used some clutch plate appearances down the stretch to take down the Raiders 3-2. KU's game two win snapped a three-game losing skid against Shippensburg dating back to last season.
The Golden Bears and Raiders wrap up their series tomorrow, Saturday, April 27 at Shippensburg. Game one is slated to start at 1 p.m.
Game 1: Shippensburg 4, Kutztown 1
Shippensburg plated three runs over the first two innings as the KU offense struggled against Jaxon Dalena in a 4-1 loss in game one.
The Golden Bears had three hits in the contest, coming from Bo Barthol (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland), Jimmy Kerley (Indian Trail, N.C./Sun Valley), and Antonio Rossillo (Warrington, Pa./Archbishop Wood). Rossillo scored KU's lone run on a throwing error in the sixth inning, which made it 3-1 at the time.
Despite taking the loss, Jake Skrocki (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) had a solid showing on the bump for KU. After allowing three runs on six hits throughout the first two innings, the redshirt senior allowed only three hits and no earned runs the rest of the way in a complete game performance. Dalena was lights out for Shippensburg, tossing a complete game with eight strikeouts.
Game 2: Kutztown 3, Shippensburg 2
Game two started on the same track as game one, but some clutch plate appearances down the stretch and a strong pitching performance from Paul Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) led KU to a 3-2 victory in game two.
Shippensburg started the scoring in the top of the third through an Austin Baal RBI single and a wild pitch which made it 2-0. KU only had one hit on the board until the bottom of the fourth. With two outs in the frame, Kerley singled through the left side of the infield and scored from first the next at-bat via an RBI double from Jason Wolff (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) to make it 2-1.
In the next inning, Rossillo and Brennan Rozich (Oxford, Pa./Oxford) worked themselves into scoring position with no outs. Joey Pettinelli (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) tied the game at two with a sac fly the next at-bat. Kaleb Maksimik entered the game to face Michael Burns (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) with two outs, but the sophomore beat out the throw for an infield single, scoring Rozich to give KU the 3-2 advantage.
Moretski started the sixth and was replaced by Abel Saft (Kintnersville, Pa./Moravian Academy) with one out. With a runner in scoring position with two outs, Kerley flashed leather at third base to take away the game-tying base hit and preserved KU's 3-2 advantage. In the seventh, Shippensburg worked runners to second and third with two outs. Saft faced off against Baal and struck him out swinging on three pitches to secure the save and the win.
Moretski earned his third win of the season, allowing two earned runs and four hits while striking out four in 5.2 innings of work. Saft earned his third save of the season, allowing three hits and no runs over 1.1 innings. Conner Barto took the loss for Shippensburg after a promising start, going 4.2 innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs while striking out five.
