WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Palm Beach Atlantic softball team faced Kutztown in a nonconference doubleheader on Monday afternoon.
This was the first matchup against Kutztown (7-4, 0-0 PSAC) in PBA (9-11, 8-4 SSC) softball history. The Sailfish entered the game coming off a series win against Florida Tech. Kutztown had success against the Sailfish pitchers in both games. The Golden Bears had two big innings on their way to an 8-0 win in game one. The Sailfish hung with the Golden Bears in game two, but the KU offense overpowered the 'Fish to win 8-4.
The Sailfish hit the road to resume their SSC schedule this weekend. PBA faces Rollins in a three-game series beginning Friday night at 6 p.m. in Winter Park, Fla.
Game One – KU: 8, PBA: 0
Kutztown got to Sailfish pitcher
Lacy Marty early in game one. Three hits, including two doubles in the second inning gave the Golden Bears a 2-0 lead. KU extended its lead in the third with six runs on seven hits and one error to take an 8-0 lead. PBA tried to answer in the bottom of the inning with hits from
Katherine Budnovich and
Meredith Milam, but the 'Fish came up empty.
Chloe Nepveux entered the game to pitch in the fourth inning, She pitched two scoreless innings of relief without surrendering a hit or walk. PBA recorded hits in the fourth and fifth innings, but was unable to string together a rally. Kutztown won the game in five innings, 8-0.
Budnovich led the Sailfish with two hits and a hit by pitch. PBA totaled four hits as a team. Marty pitched three innings, surrendering eight runs on 10 hits.
Game Two – KU: 8, PBA: 4
The Golden Bears scored one run on three two-out hits in the top of the first. The Sailfish loaded the bases in the bottom of the second after a single from
Maura Glatczak, a walk by
Hayley Haas and a single by
Daylin Hejtmanek. Unfortunately for the 'Fish, a flyout ended the rally. KU added to its lead thanks to three hits and a PBA error to take a 3-0 lead.
The Sailfish got on the board in the fourth inning. With two outs,
Elisa Grande started a rally with a single up the middle. A walk from Haas and a single down the left field line from Hejtmanek made it a 3-1 game.
Briana Rodriguez tied the game at three with a single through the left side to score Haas and Hejtmanek.
KU regained the lead in the fifth with a two-run home run to take a 5-3 lead. The Sailfish got one run back in the bottom of the inning as a sacrifice fly from Grande scored Budnovich. A PBA groundout stranded runners on first and second to end the inning. KU pulled away again with a run in the sixth and a pair of runs in the seventh. Budnovich doubled to start the seventh for PBA, but that was the only hit the Sailfish mustered in the frame. KU closed out the 8-4 win.
Budnovich stayed hot at the plate with three hits and a run in four at-bats. Glatczak tallied two hits of her own. Hejtmanek finished with two hits with an RBI and a run.
Cambria Arturo pitched six innings with seven earned runs on 10 hits and three walks with three strikeouts. Nepveux pitched one inning in relief, allowed no runs on two hits.
