KUTZTOWN, Pa. -- Shepherd University (15-5, 0-2 PSAC East) dropped a pair of games to Kutztown (8-10, 2-0 PSAC East) in PSAC East softball action at Kutztown on Tuesday. Kutztown gained a pair of 4-3 victories.
Shepherd took a 1-0 lead in the second inning in game one as senior outfielder Kylie Condon (Charles Town, W.Va./Washington) singled and later scored on a ground out by junior second baseman Caitlin Donnelly (Newark, Del./Padua Academy).
Kutztown took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the frame with a two-run single by Sarah Harvey keying the rally.
Condon doubled and later scored on a wild pitch in the fourth to cut the lead to 3-2.
Shepherd tied the game in the fifth on a solo blast off the bat of senior catcher Alex Mantz (Edinburg, Va./Central).
Kristin Geesey hit an RBI-single in the bottom of the eighth to lift the Golden Bears to the win.
Graduate student third baseman Nicole Purtell (Centreville, Va./Centreville) went 3-for-4 to lead the Rams.
Brianna Stocklin went 4-for-5 to lead Kutztown.
Senior pitcher Katie Laing (Jefferson, Md./Brunswick) (2.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 K, 0 BB) (5-3) took the loss. Haley Gravish (3.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 K, 1 BB) (4-2) gained the win for Kutztown.
Kutztown took a 1-0 lead in the first in the nightcap on an RBI-single by Geesey.
The Golden Bears added an unearned run in the third to take a 2-0 advantage.
Shepherd tied the game in the fifth behind RBI-doubles from Donnelly and Purtell.
Stocklin singled and later scored when Harvey reached on a fielder's choice in the fifth to give the Golden Bears a 3-2 lead.
The Rams tied the game at 3-all in the sixth as senior outfielder Hannah Beeler (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle-Antrim) doubled and later scored on a wild pitch.
Stocklin led off the seventh with a double and scored the game-winner on a single by Geesey to give Kutztown the sweep.
Purtell went 3-for-4 for the Rams.
Stocklin went 3-for-3 and scored four runs for the Golden Bears.
Gravish (2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 K, 1 BB) (5-2) gained the win for Kutztown. Freshman pitcher Abby McBride (Northeast, Md./Rising Sun) (2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB) (4-2) took the loss in relief.
The Rams return to action on Thursday when they host East Stroudsburg for a 1 p.m. doubleheader. The games were moved up a day due to weather concerns.
