CARY, N.C. -- Kutztown scored three runs with two outs in the top of the ninth to draw within a run of Goldey-Beacom but could not complete the comeback. The Golden Bears dropped a late night affair, Saturday, by a 6-5 score at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.
Jared Ferguson (Reinholds, Pa./Cocalico) doubled twice and drove in three runs, while
Bryce Schafer (Kempton, Pa./Kutztown) and
Nick Varda (Columbia, Md./Atholton) collected two hits each for the Maroon and Gold. The game began at 8:25 p.m., nearly an hour later than the 7:30 scheduled start time, and took nearly three hours to complete.
Kutztown (0-3) fell behind 3-0 by the end of the second inning and trailed 4-0 before getting on the board in the top of the seventh. Ferguson's double to left plated
Dalton Furst (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) and Schafer.
The ninth-inning rally could have put the Golden Bears in front if not for Goldey-Beacom (3-1) adding two runs of insurance in the bottom of the eighth. Following a one-out single from Christian Petrillo, designated hitter Anthony Charles turned on the first pitch he saw from
Evan Krippel (Levittown, Pa./Neshaminy) and put it over the right field fence for a 6-2 Lightning advantage.
With KU down to its final out, Ferguson again doubled to left, this time bringing home Furst to make it 6-3.
Zack Wertman (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg) added a pinch-hit RBI single and Varda punched a single through the left side that scored Wertman to make it 6-5. Gage Bendix got out of the jam, retiring
Michael Burns (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) on a groundout to end the game with the tying run at third.
Paul Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) got the start on the bump and delivered five strikeouts over four innings. Krippel tossed the final four innings with four strikeouts. While both pitchers allowed just two hits apiece, they combined to issue 11 walks.
GBC starter Nate Miller threw 6.1 solid innings to secure the win. He struck out six while allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits.
Kutztown will conclude its weekend trip to Cary, N.C., with a single nine-inning game against Frostburg State on Sunday at 4:30 p.m.
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