WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Palm Beach Atlantic softball team hosted undefeated, No. 21-ranked Kutztown on Friday in a nonconference doubleheader.

The Golden Bears entered the day, 11-0 on the season, but they were handed their first loss after a stellar performance in the circle from Lacy Marty. Marty tossed a complete-game shutout, in a pitcher's duel in which the Sailfish came out on top 1-0. PBA was one strike away from sweeping Kutztown on the day, but a late rally from the Golden Bears allowed them to steal game two, 5-3.

PBA faces another tough test next weekend against top-ranked Tampa. Game one of the three-game series starts on Friday at 6 p.m. in Tampa.

Game One – PBA: 1, KU: 0

Kutztown started the game with a single, but Marty was aided by a double play to clear the bases. The Golden Bears laid down a sac bunt, and Rylee Little threw old a greedy KU runner trying to make it to third on the play. Marli Szierer attempted to get the 'Fish on the board with a double to start the second inning, but she was left stranded.

The Golden Bears threatened with a runner to leadoff to start the top of the fourth, but Marty forced a strikeout for the first out of the inning. She was helped out by her defense with a lineout to third leading to a double playing by doubling up the runner at first.

PBA broke through in the bottom of the fifth. Little doubled to lead off the inning. A lineout and a sac bunt moved her to third with two outs. Kaitlyn Campbell came through with a chopper to the left side that she beat out easily, scoring the run to make it 1-0. After a perfect sixth, Marty allowed a leadoff single to start the seventh. She forced three consecutive flyouts to end the game with the 1-0 win intact.

 Both teams tallied four hits in the game. Marty did not walk one batter in the seven-inning shutout. She finished the game with two strikeouts.

Game Two – KU: 5, PBA: 3

The second game of the day was another pitcher's duel. Little got the started in the circle and pitched five scoreless frames. The Golden Bears earned a pair of base runners after two singles, but Little struck out two in a row to end the inning. Chloe Nepveux doubled for the Sailfish in the second, but she was left stranded.

Both teams mustered base runners in the middle innings but could not string hits together. The Sailfish got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Campbell and Daylin Hejtmanek reached on infield singles before a single to shallow rightfield by Lauren O'Brien loaded the bases with no outs. Two flyouts put the 'Fish at risk of coming up empty again, but Szierer delivered with a three-run double to give the Sailfish a 3-0 lead. 

Kutztown got two runs back in the sixth after a solo home run and an error followed by a double and a groundout. PBA seemed poised to complete the sweep after two quick outs to start the seventh. KU was down to its last strike on two separate occasions, but two singles, a walk, a wild pitch, and an RBI double gave the Golden Bears a 5-3 lead. PBA went down quietly in the final inning as Kutztown stole game two.

PBA finished with seven hits as a team, highlighted by Szierer's three-RBI double. Little pitched 6.2 innings. She gave up four earned runs on nine hits with three walks and five strikeouts.