NORTH WALES, Pa. – The Kutztown University baseball team had a strong start to the game with a 3-2 lead in the second inning, but couldn't keep pace in a 7-4 loss to the Chestnut Hill Griffins in a non-conference matchup at Hostelley Field on Tuesday afternoon.

The Golden Bears (5-7 overall) were in good position with a 2-2 tie in the first inning, which they turned in their favor with a second inning left field home run from freshman Cam Burr (Reading, Pa./Muhlenberg). The Griffins (5-6) were playing the long game, going on a 5-1 run in the remaining seven innings to secure a three-run victory to break a four game losing streak.

Sophomore Bo Barthol (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland) started the game with a single to first base and ended up on third with a steal of second and an advance thanks to a throwing error to get a runner deep into scoring position with no one out. The center fielder finished the day batting 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and the aforementioned stolen base, reaching home on sacrifice flies from Michael Burns (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) in the first and fifth innings.

In addition to the runs batted in from Burr and Burns, Dalton Furst (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) sent a runner home with a single up the middle in the opening frame for his only hit of the ballgame. First baseman Bryce Schafer (Kempton, Pa./Kutztown) went 2-for-4 on the afternoon, but couldn't come across the plate in defeat.

KU sent Tyler Cleveland (Pillow, Pa./Upper Dauphin) to the mound to open the game, as the senior right-hander earned four runs on five hits in 4.1 innings before making way for the bullpen to finish the game. Jeremy Fallon (Souderton, Pa./Souderton) (0-1) was tagged with the loss, allowing a pair of runs over 1.2 innings while striking out two. Michael Pascoe (1-0) of Chestnut Hill earned the win after seven innings of work, while Colby Seelig picked up a two-inning save for his second of the season.

The Griffins scored its seven runs with 13 hits, two doubles, two home runs and two stolen bases despite its three errors on defense. Kutztown had six hits, a double, a home run, a walk and a stolen base to come up with four runs, while its defense had an error-free game that included 15 assists.

Kutztown's next game will come in an afternoon doubleheader against the Mercy Mavericks at North Campus Baseball Field on Friday, Mar. 14, with first pitch times slated for noon and 2:30 p.m. The Golden Bears will wrap up the four game season series against the Mavericks on Sunday, Mar. 16, with games set to start at noon and 2:30 p.m. in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.