Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

KUTZTOWN, PA - Kaylee Prendergast (West Chester/Villa Maria Academy) went 2-for-4 with an RBI in game one as the IUP softball team split a pair of games with Kutztown in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) crossover action Saturday. The Crimson Hawks used a monster first inning to take game one 5-3 before dropping game two 7-2.

IUP 5, KUTZTOWN 3

The Crimson Hawks scored all five of their runs in the first inning and staved off a three-run first from the Golden Bears in a 5-3 game one win.

Despite the shaky first, IUP hurler Tara Senn (Eagle/Downington East) was fantastic in the circle in game one, allowing just the three runs on seven hits in a complete game win. Senn struck out three batters in the game, and allowed just three hits in the contest's final six innings.

Ashley Strack (Johnstown/Westmont Hilltop) got the scoring started in the top of the first with an RBI single that scored Christi Mauk (Claysburg/Claysburg-Kimmel), while an Allison Viguers (West Chester/West Chester East) RBI double just a batter later made it 2-0.

Prendergast would follow with a double that scored Strack, while Stef McCoy and Jen Beaver (Chester Springs/Owen J. Roberts) would cap the big inning with an RBI apiece.

Strack and Prendergast each had a pair of hits for the Crimson Hawks in game one, while Viguers and Mauk had IUP's only other hits. Dominique Ficara took the loss for the Golden Bears, but scattered just six hits and struck out four in a complete game effort.

KUTZTOWN 7, IUP 2

IUP was unable to overcome a three-run first inning from Kutztown, falling to the Golden Bears 7-2 in game two. Senn took the loss for the Crimson Hawks, surrendering three earned runs on five hits in three innings.

Trailing 4-0 in the third, IUP began to chip away when Mary Ward (Hatfield/North Penn) smacked an RBI double that scored Mauk, but the Golden Bears would tack on runs in the fifth and sixth to take a commanding 6-2 lead.

Prendergast would continue her recent hot streak with an RBI double that plated Katie Iyoob (Jessup/Valley View) in the sixth, but Kutztown would add an insurance run in the bottom half of the frame to salt away the split. Prendergast went 2-for-3 with an RBI in game two, while Ward finished 4-for-4 with a run batted in.

Mary Kociencki earned the win in the circle for Kutztown, allowing just two earned runs on six hits in a complete game win.

The Crimson Hawks (18-11) are back in action this Tuesday when they travel to Wheeling, West Virginia, for a doubleheader
with Wheeling Jesuit. First pitch in game one is set for 3:00 p.m.