Box Score
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Post-Game Press Conference
KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Colleen Smith hit a two-run single, and Nicole Henninger followed with a three-run homer, as host Kutztown University defeated visiting West Chester, 5-1, in the first game of the NCAA Division II Softball Super Regional Friday afternoon at North Campus Field.
Game two will be played Saturday afternoon at North Campus Field at 1 p.m. with a third-and-deciding game three to follow shortly thereafter, if necessary. West Chester falls to 37-20 on the season while Kutztown improves to 33-21.
Nobody scored for the first five innings as West Chester senior Devon Utterback and Kutztown sophomore Dominique Ficara were locked in a pitcher’s duel. Utterback (22-10) got out of jam after jam through five without allowing a run.
Kutztown finally broke through with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth when cleanup hitter, Colleen Smith, hit a two-run single to right with the bases loaded and one out. That broke a scoreless tie as the Golden Bears, who had left 11 runners on base through five frames, came through. Nicole Henninger later added a three-run home run, her eighth of the year, to left field to push the lead to 5-0.
West Chester added a run in the bottom of the seventh when J.P. Norris singled to center, scoring Ali Vavala from second base with two outs. However, Megan Kelly was caught too far off the second base bag, and Kutztown catcher Katie Lynch threw in behind her for the final out of the game.
NOTES: West Chester moves to 4-5 all-time in the NCAA Division II Tournament … Golden Rams are making their first NCAA Super Regional appearance in their third NCAA Tournament appearance in school history … Kutztown is the defending Atlantic Region champion … winner of this weekend’s best-of-three Super Regional will advance to the 2013 NCAA Division II national finals in Salem, Va., next week … senior RHP Devon Utterback became the school’s all-time strikeout leader with her 367th career strikeout … Utterback pitched out of trouble in each of the first four innings … Kutztown left 11 runners on base through five
