Wise Homers Twice But Kutztown Edges Ship in Slugfest, 10-6
April 19, 2005
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - Kutztown University scored five runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back en route to a 10-6 win over Shippensburg University in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) crossover Tuesday afternoon at Fairchild Field. Junior Tyler Wise (Bedford, Pa./Bedford) went 3-for-4 with two home runs for the Red Raiders.
The two teams combined for 16 runs and 27 hits, including four home runs. Kutztown (29-15) , who has won its last three-straight over Shippensburg and twice this season, led 5-0 after one inning and 7-2 after 3 1/2 innings.
Trailing by five, Wise led off the bottom of the second with a home run to center field and senior Chad Stecker (Saylorsburg, Pa./Pleasant Valley) followed with a solo homer to right in the third, cutting the Golden Bear lead to three, 5-2.
The Red Raiders (22-21) would battle back from another five-run deficit after Kutztown scored two more runs in the top of the fourth on a two-RBI single by Kyle Costello. Costello hit the ball up the middle that bounced off the glove of Red Raider senior pitcher Brad Fritz (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle Antrim) and carried into left field.
Shippensburg scored three in the fourth to pull within two runs after three RBI singles from senior Ryan Miscik (Mt. Pleasant, Pa./Mt. Pleasant), sophomore Justin Garber (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) and junior Adam Caron (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro Area).
In the bottom of the sixth, much like the second, Wise led off with his second home run, this time, a solo shot to right to pull the Red Raiders to within one run, 7-6.
However, the momentum was short-lived for Shippensburg as the Golden Bears scored three more runs in the seventh, two on singles and the third when Tony Riegel purposely got into a run-down between first and second, allowing Josh Fink to score from third before the third out.
Kutztown jumped on Red Raider senior Drew Kyle (Hanover, Pa./South Western), totaling five earned runs and four hits in 0.2 innings, in Kyle's first loss this season. Fitz went 2.2 innings, allowing only two earned runs before sophomore Steven Slatcoff (Windber, Pa./Windber) surrendered the final three earned runs in 3.1 innings.
As a team, Shippensburg used five pitchers and had only two strikeouts while walking just one. Seven of the 10 Golden Bears who had a plate appearance, had a hit and one, Phil Cavalcante drew a walk in the ninth.
Justin Jachowicz earned the win for Kutztown, totaling 4.0 innings, scattering three hits and allowing one earned run. He came on in relief of starter Phil Rummel who also pitched 4.0 innings, surrendering the first five Red Raider runs on seven hits.
After having dropped their last two, Shippensburg look to get back on the winning track when it travels to Clarion University on Friday for a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.
- Red Raider Baseball -
