BOCA RATON, Fla. – Kutztown was forced to play from behind in both games with late rallies in each, but couldn't complete either comeback, falling to Lynn by scores of 5-4 in each game Thursday afternoon in Boca Raton, Fla.
 
The Golden Bears (5-7 overall) trailed 5-2 in the top of the seventh inning in the opener to the Fighting Knights (2-9) and rallied for two runs, but was stopped there. In the nightcap, KU was down 5-0 in the seventh and got four runs in, but just couldn't get the tying or go-ahead home.
 
Emily Henn (Matamoras, Pa./Delaware Valley) led the offense, going 5-for-8 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Caitlin Ashley (Limerick, Pa./Spring-Ford), Ashley Schulz (Oreland, Pa./Springfield) and Jamie Madara (Levittown, Pa./Academy of the New Church) all had two hits on the day. Morgan Slomkowski (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East) and Samantha Paetow (Fayetteville, Pa./Chambersburg) both recorded a hit each.
 
Kutztown has two days off before its next time out on the field when it will play two games at Nova Southeastern this Sunday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., beginning at noon.
 
Lynn 5, Kutztown 4
 
Kutztown took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but found itself trailing 5-2 heading to the seventh. KU pulled to within one run and had the tying runner at third and go-ahead runner at first base with two outs, but Lynn was able to record the final out to hold on.
 
Henn led off the game with a double to center field and then came around to score off of a fielding error the next batter. Two batters later, Ashley also doubled and recorded an RBI, bringing around Parker Kraus (Doylestown, Pa./Archbishop Wood) for the early 2-0 advantage.
 
The host Fighting Knights answered with two runs of their own in the bottom-half of the frame, also via a double, bringing home two runs to tie the score.
 
After four scoreless innings, Lynn had a breakout inning in the bottom of the sixth, scoring three runs on two singles, bringing seven batters to the plate.
 
The Golden Bears did not go down quietly, however, and brought seven batters to the plate themselves in the top of the seventh. Schulz led off the frame with a single to left field and advanced to second on a wild pitch a batter later. With one out, Henn connected on her second home run of the season to left and cut the deficit to just one at 5-4. Leanna Schenk (Roslyn, Pa./Abington) walked and then Ashley reached on a throwing error two batters later to put two runners on with two outs. Lynn starter, Gabriella Lindsey, was able to record the final out, however, to stop the KU rally.
 
Henn had two hits and two RBIs and both Schulz and Ashley tallied two hits. Paetow and Madara each recorded a hit.
 
Lynn 5, Kutztown 4
 
Kutztown could not get anything going through the first six innings and then always doubled its hit total in the top of the seventh inning, batting around and sending 10 batters to the plate in the frame. KU trailed 4-0 after Lynn's four-run, bottom of the third inning.
 
Down to its final two outs, Paetow reached safely on an error for the Golden Bears' first base runner in the seventh. Slomkowski was then hit by a pitch and Schulz walked to load the bases. Alexa Stevens (Jefferson Township, Pa./North Pocono) then worked a walk the next batter to give her team their first run of the game and earn an RBI. Madara recorded a run-scoring infield single to cut the deficit to 5-2 before Henn brought around two more with a single the other way to right field. After a Hunter Myers (Hawley, Pa./Wallenpaupack) pinch hit walk put the tying run on second and go-ahead runner at first, Lynn was able to secure the next two outs to once again halt a late-inning, Maroon and Gold rally.
 
Henn finished with three of her team's five hits, and added two RBIs. Slomkowski and Madara had the other hits for KU.

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