CARY, N.C. – The Kutztown University baseball team held off the Goldey-Beacom Lightning from taking over after a late charge, claiming the victory, 8-7, at Cary's USA Baseball National Training Complex, for its first win of the 2026 campaign on Saturday afternoon.
The Golden Bears (1-2 overall) continued its pattern of building an early lead at the start of games, jumping out to a 5-0 advantage midway through three innings. While the Lightning (3-4 overall) clawed its way back in with a three-run third and four-run seventh, the scoring well ran dry for a team that was ranked 30th in the nation by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA).
Junior
Kannon Zdimal (Morgantown, Pa./Twin Valley) (W, 1-0) got the start on the hill for KU, throwing 88 pitches across five innings of three-run ball before making way to the bullpen. The returning right-handed starter struck out five and walked just one on six hits, giving Kutztown the mound support it needed to take control of the game.
The Golden Bears pinned five hits on GBC starter George Starr (L, 0-2), while hammering the Lightning's defense with four errors on the day. Reliever Zach Davis didn't help the cause much, allowing three additional runs (one earned) in five innings of action.
Reigning All-Conference Second Team designated hitter
Jared Ferguson (Reinholds, Pa./Cocalico) led the KU offense, going 3-for-5 with a pair of runs on the afternoon, while leadoff man
Bo Barthol (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland) went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs of his own to go along with an RBI. Four other players notched at least one hit, including left fielder
Joel Bonner (Hulmeville, Pa./Neshaminy), who had a triple and a pair of RBI to continue his stellar start with his new squad.
The Golden Bears will look to return to .500 when they cap off the North Carolina trip against Frostburg State tomorrow, Feb. 22, with first pitch set for 1 p.m.
