Bloomsburg Splits with Kutztown in Baseball

KUTZTOWN—Syril Kress (Littlestown/Littlestown) homered, drove in three runs and scored two more to lead Bloomsburg University to a 7-4 win over Kutztown University on Saturday and a split of a doubleheader. In the opener, Kutztown won by a 6-2 score.

In the nightcap, the Huskies took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Kress walked to lead off the inning, moved to second on passed ball and scored on a single by Rich Letts (Parkesburg/Octorara). After Kutztown took a 2-1 lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth, Bloomsburg tied the game in the fifth inning when Kress singled home Matt Robinson (York/Red Lion) who led off the frame with a single and later moved to third on an error. Bloomsburg went in front in the sixth when Robinson singled home Kevin Ward (Upper Darby/Msgn. Bonner) with the go-ahead run.

Bloomsburg added some insurance runs in the seventh. Chris Brown (Vestal, NY/Vestal) led off the inning with a walk and scored one out later when Kress homered for the third time this season giving Bloomsburg a 5-2 lead. Rob Watlock (Plains/Coughlin) and Ward then followed with singles and later scored on a single by Josh Howe (Williamsport/Williamsport) making it 7-4.

In the Kutztown half of the seventh inning, the Golden Bears scored twice and had the bases loaded when Bloomsburg pitcher Dustin Johnson (Sunbury/Shikellamy) induced a fielder's choice ground ball to end the threat and the game. Johnson allowed seven hits, walked just one and struckout two to earn his fourth win of the season.

Offensively, Kress was 2-3 with two runs scored and three RBI, while Ward finished 3-4 with two runs scored and Robinson 3-5 with an RBI and a run scored.

In game one, the Huskies fell behind 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning when Josh Fink led off with a homer. Bloomsburg rallied and took a 2-1 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth.

The Huskies scored twice on just one hit and took advantage of two Kutztown errors. Jeremy Eck, who had the lone hit in the inning, scored on a sacrifice fly by Vinnie James (Bristol/Bristol) with Kress also scoring on the play after a throwing error by the Golden Bear's right fielder.

Kutztown, though, came back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 3-2 lead, then made it 6-2 with three in the fifth.

Bloomsburg, now 8-25, 3-7 in the PSAC East, will host Kutztown on Monday at 1 p.m. at Litwhiler Field. Kutztown goes to 25-10, 7-3 in the PSAC East, with the split.