GLENVILLE, W.Va. – Sophomore pitcher
Brooklyn Kotula tossed a complete game, two-hitter as she helped IUP softball to a 13-1 win over West Virginia Wesleyan in the 2019 season opener Sunday at Glenville State College.
Kotula struck out a career-high six batters in the full seven innings and received a ton of offensive help in the season opening win. It was her first complete game in just her second career start.
West Virginia Wesleyan managed to get an early run off Kotula in the bottom of the third to grab a 1-0 lead. But the Crimson Hawks exploded for eight runs in the fifth to take the momentum and put the game away.
Sara Hull started off with a double, followed by singles from
Rachel Rodriguez and
Jenna Rhue to tie the game at 1-1.
Bethany Bunner drew a walk before another run scored on an error by the Wesleyan shortstop.
IUP opened it up with back-to-back 2-run doubles from
Lauren Goetz and Kotula, and two batters later got another run-scoring double from
Kassie Kesneck.
Renee Wall added a few insurance runs in the seventh by blasting a 3-run home run.
The Crimson Hawks followed their big win with a 3-2 loss to Glenville State in the evening. The Pioneers got out to an early 3-0 lead after two innings but a 2-run homer off the bat of Goetz in the third inning cut IUP's deficit to one.
IUP did have chances to tie or take the lead, leaving
Kaitlyn Beers stranded in the sixth after a 1-out double, and leaving
Jackie Toki on third in the seventh.
Notes
The win in game one was the first for
Shawna Bellaud as the new head coach of the Crimson Hawks … Bellaud spent the last four seasons as the IUP assistant coach and took over the top job in August … This is the fourth straight year the Crimson Hawks have won their season opener … IUP lost to West Virginia Wesleyan 8-2 in its 2014 season opener.
Up next
The Crimson Hawks return to the field in two weeks when they head to Clermont, Florida to compete in the Spring Games. IUP has 14 games scheduled between Friday, March 8 and Saturday, March 16.
Follow
For up-to-date game information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP softball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPsoftball.
