KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University baseball team hosted the Albright Lions in a midweek, non-conference nine-inning battle on Tuesday evening, scoring six unanswered runs to come away with a 10-7 victory at North Campus Field.
The Golden Bears (15-17 overall) had a rocky start to the afternoon, but was able to get its footing as the flow of the game moved in favor of the home team after allowing the Lions (12-18-1) to go punch for punch with KU. In the end, however, Kutztown played the more complete game, as its offense took advantage of miscues that ultimately cost Albright the game.
Things got started early in the first inning, as Albright opened with a run in the top of the first and Kutztown responded with a two-run double off the bat of
Jared Ferguson (Reinholds, Pa./Cocalico). The Maroon and Gold made it 4-1, with a two-run,
Dalton Furst (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) single distancing the Lions from the lead as the opposition looked to find the right pitching mix.
Albright would respond in the next three innings, scoring six runs on three combined hits, including a two-run homer that just snuck over the left field wall. Kutztown, however, made sure the play wouldn't be a significant factor, evening the score at 7-all with three scores coming home in the bottom of the sixth.
KU padded its lead with a run in the seventh and another pair making their way around in the eighth, and while Albright made efforts to respond, the back end of the Kutztown bullpen sealed things off from there.
Seven batters had two hits for Kutztown, including Furst and Ferguson, who each led the way with two runs. The Golden Bears also benefited from six hit batters – third baseman
Drew Wheeler (Waxhaw, N.C./Marvin Ridge) being two of those – as well as four walks.
Bo Barthol (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland),
Owen Rector (Nottingham, Pa./Oxford) and
Preston Warne (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) each crossed the plate a pair of times for KU in the win.
Logan Woodward (Furlong, Pa./Germantown Academy) got the start and pitched the bulk of the innings for the home squad, striking out three and allowing just one run across three innings.
Aidan Myers (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) (W, 1-0) hurled two innings of shutout ball for his first career win.
Jeremy Fallon (Souderton, Pa./Souderton) (SV, 4) picked up his team-high fourth save after getting the final four outs.
The winning line saw Kutztown score its 10 runs on 15 hits while committing a pair of errors, while Albright's seven runs came from 13 hits, while the defense added three errors in defeat.
Kutztown returns to conference action this weekend, traveling to Bloomsburg on Friday, April 17, for a doubleheader against the Huskies at Litwhiler Field at 1:00 and 3:30 p.m. The Golden Bears will return to North Campus Field for the home portion of the four-game series against Bloomsburg on Saturday, April 18, with games scheduled for 1:00 and 3:30 p.m. Before Saturday's games, the team will honor its seniors for Senior Day, as well as host former players on Alumni Day.
