Box Score (Game 1)  |  Box Score (Game 2)

KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Facing off against a PSAC East frontrunner for the second time in three days, East Stroudsburg University once again stayed competitive throughout the afternoon before ultimately falling in a pair of close contests at Kutztown on Wednesday.

The Golden Bears (19-8, 4-0 PSAC) claimed a 4-2 victory in Game 1, and after tying the game in the seventh, they completed their Game 2 rally with a 5-4 walk-off victory in 10 innings. Kutztown has now won nine games in a row overall.

Junior Mary Wallick went 4 for 6 with two RBIs and two walks across both games at the plate for ESU (7-14, 1-5 PSAC), and she also turned in a complete game effort in the circle in Game 1.

Sophomore Madison Vicendese, junior Heather Visco and junior Madison Oren added two hits apiece in Game 2, with Oren delivering a two-run triple in the fourth inning.

The Warriors dropped four games this week to West Chester and Kutztown, who have a combined record of 43-14 this season, by a combined six runs. ESU will host Georgian Court in a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The twinbill, originally scheduled for Thursday afternoon, was postponed due to the threat of inclement weather.

Game 1: Kutztown 4, ESU 2

Offense was at a premium in the opener, as the two teams combined for a total of eight hits, including just three in the final five innings. One of those early hits, though, was a three-run homer for Kutztown's Cheyenne Jones off Wallick in the first inning to give the home side a quick advantage.

Wallick's solo shot put the Warriors on the board in the second inning, and ESU pulled within one in the fourth. Senior Danielle Wissinger began the frame with a leadoff walk, and Wallick drove in sophomore pinch-runner Kendra Barlotta with an RBI double to right-center. Wallick made it to third with one out after an illegal pitch, but Kutztown starter Savannah Nierintz (13-1) retired the next two batters to preserve the lead.

After surrendering hits to four of the first five batters, Wallick gave up only one the rest of the way, facing the minimum number of batters in three of the final five frames. The Golden Bears tacked on an unearned insurance run in the sixth to restore their two-run margin.

The Warriors only baserunner in the final three innings came on a two-out walk by Wallick in the sixth.

Nierintz struck out four in a complete game effort. Wallick also went the distance, allowing three earned runs while fanning two over six innings. She has surrendered three earned runs or fewer in six of her last eight starts.

Game 2: Kutztown 5, ESU 4 (10 innings)

A fielding error to begin the game led to a pair of unearned runs for the Golden Bears off senior LHP Rachael Liguori in the first. Gia Santigate had the key hit with a two-out, two-run single to right field.

The Warriors cut the margin in half in the third inning. Sophomore Samantha Pickar led off with a double to left-center, and she advanced to third on a single by freshman Kaylee Hazewski. After Hazewski stole second, Visco came through two batters later with a single up the middle to score Pickar. Kutztown, however, held onto the lead after Hazewski was thrown out at the plate.

The Golden Bears restored their two-run lead in the bottom of the third with a solo tally, but ESU pulled ahead for the first time with three runs in the following inning. Wallick and freshman Rachel Grabowski began the frame with a double and single, respectively, and both crossed the plate on Oren's triple. Oren then scored on a two-out RBI single by Vicendese.

The Warriors' 4-3 margin held until the bottom of the seventh. Tamara Jennings led off with a double, and Gabby Tareila extended the game to extras on a one-out RBI single.

Neither team scored in the first two extra innings, sending ESU to a 10th inning for a second time this season. International tiebreaker rules also went into effect in the 10th, with a runner starting on second base for each side. The Warriors were unable to score in the top-half, and Kutztown clinched victory on a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly by Asja Saito.

Liguori (5-5) allowed five runs (two earned) over 9 2/3 innings, while Nierintz (14-1) came on for the final seven innings for the Golden Bears. She struck out six and did not surrender a run, lowering her season ERA to 1.30.

Notes:

Hazewski is now alone in second place in ESU single-season history with 22 steals this spring, trailing only Jen Veronesi, who stole 44 in 2007. She is currently ranked second among PSAC competitors.

Barlotta stole her 12th base of the season in Game 1. She is 12 for 13 in SB attempts this spring, and is now ranked tied for eighth in ESU program history with 25 steals for her career.