SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. – Shepherd University (12-12, 8-4 PSAC East) split with #15 Kutztown (24-7, 8-4 PSAC East) in PSAC East softball doubleheader action at Sara Cree Field on Tuesday. Kutztown held on for a 7-6 win in game one and Shepherd gained the split with a 7-2 triumph in the nightcap.
Shepherd used a 13-hit attack en route to the nightcap win.
The Rams took a 3-0 lead in the first inning in the nightcap. Sophomore pitcher
Madelayne Ruffner (Charles Town, W.Va./Washington) and freshman infielder
Sam Colaw (Petersburg, W.Va./Petersburg) each drove in a run to key the rally.
Shepherd added a run in the third on an RBI-single by Colaw to take a 4-0 lead.
Junior outfielder
Camdyn Noland (Summit Point, W.Va./Washington) smacked an RBI-double in the fifth to up the lead to 5-0.
The Golden Bears got on the board in the sixth behind an RBI-triple from Naya Darnowski and an RBI-double from Emily Henn.
Shepherd closed the scoring in the sixth on a solo blast from sophomore pinch hitter
Trynda Mantz (Edinburg, Va./Central) and an RBI-single from Noland.
Six different Rams had a pair of hits.
Henn went 2-for-3 for the Golden Bears.
Ruffner (7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 14 K, 0 BB) (10-0) picked up the win for the Rams. Abbey Wagner (0.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 0 K, 0 BB) (4-1) took the loss.
Kutztown took a 1-0 lead in the third inning in game one as Henn reached on a fielder's choice and later scored on a single by Alexa Stevens.
Shepherd answered back in the bottom of the frame. Sophomore outfielder
Madelyn Chambers (Stafford, Va./Brooke Point) and freshman outfielder
Haylee Hartman (Keedysville, Md./Boonsboro) singled and senior infielder
Lauren Moore (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora/Trevecca Nazarene) followed with a three-run homer.
After the Golden Bears added a run in the fourth, Moore smacked a two-run double in the bottom of the inning to up the Shepherd lead to 5-2.
Kutztown plated five runs in the fifth to take a 7-5 advantage. Samantha Paetow hit a three-run homer to key the rally.
Shepherd got a run in the sixth as Hartman led off with a double and later scored on a wild pitch.
Hartman went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and Moore went 2-for-4 with five runs batted in to lead the Rams.
Danowski led the Golden Bears with three hits.
Haley Gravish (7.0 IP, 10 H, 6 ER, 4 K, 3 BB) (14-3) gained the win for Kutztown. Colaw (3.1 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 4 K, 0 BB) (1-7) took the loss.
The Rams return to action on Friday when they host West Chester for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
