Kutztown University Athletics

STROUDSBURG, Pa. – Just as it did in the opening game the day prior, third-seeded Kutztown jumped out to an early lead and stayed out in front until the end in defeating the second seed and host East Stroudsburg, 5-2, Friday morning in a winner's bracket game on day two of NCAA Atlantic Regionals at Creekview Park in Stroudsburg.
 
The Golden Bears, who improved to 37-20 overall on the season, took down one PSAC foe on day one Thursday, beating West Chester 8-4, and then got the better of another conference opponent in ESU to remain unbeaten at regionals thus far and advance to Saturday's final day where they just need to win one game out of potentially two.
 
KU threatened in the first two innings, loading the bases with two outs in the top of the first and then getting runners on first and second with two outs, but both innings, Warriors starter, Sarah Davenport, got out unscathed.
 
That wasn't the case in the third, however, as the Golden Bears finally broke through and got on the scoreboard, bringing eight batters to the plate and recording three runs on four hits. It all started with Alexa Stevens (Jefferson Township, Pa./North Pocono) reaching safely thanks to an ESU error. Samantha Paetow (Fayetteville, Pa./Chambersburg) followed with a single to center field putting runners at first and second with nobody out. After a popout, Jenna Piatkiewicz (Fogelsville, Pa./Parkland) ripped a double that brought around Stevens and pinch runner Leanna Schenk (Roslyn, Pa./Abington) for the 2-0 lead. Ashley Schulz (Oreland, Pa./Springfield) then followed that up with an RBI single up the middle to bring home Piatkiewicz for the 3-0 advantage.
 
The Warriors got on the scoreboard with a run in the bottom-half of the third, but the Maroon and Gold answered that with a two-run fifth inning, highlighted by an RBI sacrifice fly from Caitlin Ashley (Limerick, Pa./Spring-Ford) to score Morgan Slomkowski (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East), who led off the inning with a single to left field, and an RBI double by Jamie Madara (Levittown, Pa./Academy of the New Church) to put KU on top 5-1.
 
East Stroudsburg would once again tack on a run in the bottom of the fifth, but that was all it would muster up against Amanda Slabicki (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy), who earned her second straight victory inside the circle in as many days, throwing a complete game five-hitter, allowing just one earned run, striking out three batters.
 
Stevens, Schulz, Madara and Morgan Kocher (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent) all finished with two hits. Paetow, Slomkowski, Piatkiewicz and Emily Henn (Matamoras, Pa./Delaware Valley) each contributed a hit.

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