KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University baseball team found a dry spot in the forecasted weather schedule, winning the opening game 6-1 before dropping a tight, 5-2 battle to the Shepherd Rams in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division series at North Campus Baseball Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Golden Bears (11-20, 4-8 PSAC East) were in command for most of the opening game, and the team held strong alongside the Rams (16-16, 4-8 PSAC East) in game two before falling in the seventh inning to split the games and the season series after doing the same Friday afternoon.
Game 1: Kutztown 6, Shepherd 1
Starting pitcher Kannon Zdimal (Morgantown, Pa./Twin Valley) (W, 2-4) secured every out for the Golden Bears, allowing just three hits and an unearned run to finish his first career complete game with 101 pitches. His run support came in handy, as designated hitter Jared Ferguson (Reinholds, Pa./Cocalico) and shortstop Nick Varda (Columbia, Md./Atholton) each sent home a pair of runs to back their starter's efforts.
The Rams attempted to start something with a run in the seventh inning, but Zdimal and the KU defense shut down their efforts to take a one-game series lead heading into the fourth meeting of the season. Starter Thor Hildebrand (L, 1-1) lasted just over an inning, earning two of his four runs on the afternoon while facing just nine batters.
Kutztown saw doubles come from Ferguson, Bo Barthol (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland) and Jimmy Kerley (Indian Trail, N.C./Sun Valley), while catcher Michael Burns (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) went 1-for-2 with three stolen bases and two runs scored for a strong offensive performance.
Game 2: Shepherd 5, Kutztown 2
It was an interesting game for the Golden Bears, as the home team couldn't get a hit until the bottom of the sixth inning despite collecting a run in the second inning to tie the game at one apiece. That run was made possible thanks to a myriad of mishaps by the Rams defense, as right fielder Dalton Furst (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) found his way back home thanks to a pair of errors and a passed ball.
The score would remain 1-1 until the seventh inning, where Shepherd scored once on a single and promptly cleared the bases with a three-run homer on the next batter. Kutztown looked prepared to respond, scoring a run early in the bottom of the frame, but three KU batters went down swinging to conclude the game.
Paul Moretski (Harleysville, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) (L, 1-3) claimed a complete game of his own in the second game, claiming the loss despite striking out nine and allowing those four late runs on his 97-pitch afternoon. Allen Miller (W, 3-1) got the win for SU, lasting four innings while not allowing a run and striking out three.
Kutztown looks ahead to another PSAC matchup, where it will open the series with a doubleheader against the Bloomsburg Huskies at home on Friday, April 11, at North Campus Baseball Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
