KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University baseball team split a pair of one-run games on Friday afternoon, falling 10-9 to the Mansfield Mountaineers before walking off the nightcap in an 8-7 win at North Campus Field in their Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference opener.
The Golden Bears (7-13, 1-1 PSAC) got a combined five runs batted in from Cam Burr (Reading, Pa./Muhlenberg) as well as some key defensive stops over the two games, providing enough support for the Kutztown pitchers to have their shot at taking down the Mountaineers (6-10, 1-1 PSAC) in their first two games of the four-game season series, which will conclude with two road games at Mansfield tomorrow afternoon.
Game 1: Mansfield 10, Kutztown 9
The visitors got the quick jump to take the lead, scoring nine runs through three innings, a product of six of the Mountaineers' 12 hits on the afternoon. Mansfield closed their scoring in the fourth inning with an RBI single, leaving their pitchers to hold down the game and secure the win.
The Golden Bears had their three-inning offensive spurt in the back half of the game, scoring eight runs while taking advantage of a Mansfield bullpen struggling to close the game. Despite Bo Barthol (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland) bringing the game within one on an RBI double and reaching third with one out, three straight putouts took care of business for the Mountaineers in the series opener.
Each starter claimed the decision while throwing four innings and at least 100 pitches. Kannon Zdimal (Morgantown, Pa./Twin Valley) (L, 1-3) struck out five and allowed 10 runs, while Austin Lewis (W, 2-1) fanned six while allowing five earned runs. Senior reliever Tyler Cleveland (Pillow, Pa./Upper Dauphin) hurled three spotless innings, striking out two as KU attempted their comeback.
Game 2: Kutztown 8, Mansfield 7
It was another frontloaded game for the Mountaineers, as the road team finished scoring by the third inning, a frame in which they tallied their final three runs. The difference came in the seventh inning, as the Golden Bears took advantage of shaky infield play, first tying the game with a bases-loaded walk and proceeding to score the go-ahead run on a fielding error by the shortstop.
Second baseman Cam Burr (Reading, Pa./Muhlenberg) sent home a pair of runs in the game, going 1-for-2 while drawing two walks. Barthol went 2-for-4 while stealing a base and scoring a run, and first baseman Jimmy Kerley (Indian Trail, N.C./Sun Valley) came through with timely hits in a 2-for-3 performance. Right fielder Dalton Furst (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) also hit 2-for-3, tallying an RBI and a run in the win.
Each team's final pitcher took home decisions, with Kutztown's Eddie Frye (Lorton, Va./South County) (W, 2-0) throwing 21 pitches in the seventh inning while not allowing a run. Luke Raho (L, 1-2) earned both runs in 1.1 innings of work, throwing 35 pitches and having his day end in the middle of the bottom of the seventh.
The Golden Bears will look to make it three straight wins when they travel to Mansfield on Saturday, March 22, for the second half of the series against the Mountaineers, with the opening game's first pitch set for 1 p.m.
