HAMBURG, Pa. – The Kutztown University baseball team concluded its three-game set against the Assumption Greyhounds on Sunday afternoon, falling 9-0 and 11-10 at Charles L. Miller Field, home of the Hamburg Area High School Hawks baseball team.
The Golden Bears (4-5 overall) had the goal of stretching its three-game winning streak heading into Sunday's doubleheader, but the Greyhounds (4-6) responded well in a pair of games as the team returns to Massachusetts with a series victory after bouncing back from a 12-0 shutout loss to KU on Saturday.
Game 1: Assumption 9, Kutztown 0
It was a rocky first game of the day for the Golden Bears, as pitcher Cole Constantine (W, 1-2) and reliever Ryan Cloutier (SV, 2) held KU to just two hits while striking out a combined eight batters.
Kutztown got its lone hits on doubles from catcher
Bennett Secrest (Camp Hill, Pa./Cedar Cliff) with one out in the fourth inning and from second baseman
Owen Rector (Nottingham, Pa./Oxford) in the seventh, but the home team couldn't capitalize on that. Kutztown's offense was granted a handful of additional opportunities thanks to five walks and a trio of hit batsmen, including center fielder
Bo Barthol (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland) getting on twice via walk, but the Assumption pitching and defensive units kept the Maroon and Gold at bay.
Eddie Frye (Lorton, Va./South County) (L, 0-1) went three innings and allowed five runs on four hits while walking six. Relievers
Colten Mathias (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) and
Shane Rosenberry (Reading, Pa./Muhlenberg) came in and slowed things down in the final four frames, but the Greyhounds did the necessary damage early on to claim the victory.
The final line saw the Greyhounds gather its nine runs on ten hits with no errors, while the Golden Bears had two hits and two errors in defeat.
Game 2: Assumption 11, Kutztown 10
The Greyhound's six-run jump started the visitors' effort in taking down the Golden Bears, as the opposition's pitching staff received plenty of support from the offense before the starting southpaw took his first step on the mound.
Kutztown's offense made a good effort to get back in the game, taking advantage of Assumption's fielding errors by putting up a pair of runs in the third inning and following with three runs in the succeeding frame. With a three-run margin through five innings, the Greyhounds padded its lead with a three-run sixth and held off Kutztown, who put up a challenge in its three-run final frame, to secure the team's second straight victory.
KU's offense was led by Barthol, who played left field in the nightcap, and the infield tandem of
Nick Varda (Columbia, Md./Atholton) and
Cam Burr (Reading, Pa./Muhlenberg). The outfielder went 2-for-3 while scoring twice and sending home three runs, while Varda tallied three RBIs on two hits and Burr crossed the plate three times in his 3-for-4 performance.
Assumption southpaw Michael Crowley (W, 1-1) threw four innings of three-hit baseball, allowing five runs (three earned) while striking out five KU batters. Luke Barry (SV, 1) came in to close out the back end of the ninth inning, throwing eight pitches while allowing one hit to secure his first save of the season. Redshirt senior
Abel Saft (Kintnersville, Pa./Moravian Academy) (L, 1-2) took the brunt of the load as the starter, allowing eight runs (eight earned) on eight hits while striking out four in his 91-pitch afternoon.
Assumption claimed a Sunday sweep with 11 runs on 10 hits while committing a pair of errors. Kutztown tallied 10 runs on nine hits in defeat.
The Golden Bears are set to make their North Campus Field debut tomorrow, March 9, in a non-conference doubleheader against Lincoln (Pa.) with games at noon and 2:30 p.m. It will stay home for a weekend doubleheader against the Clarion Golden Eagles on Saturday, Mar. 14, at noon and 2:30 p.m.
