Softball Splits Doubleheader On The Road At Kutztown

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Katie Erb threw 5.1 innings of scoreless relief, and J.P. Norris homered, to lead West Chester to a 5-2 win at Kutztown in the opener of a PSAC East softball doubleheader Thursday. Kutztown rallied for a 4-3 win in 10 innings in the nightcap to earn a split of the twinbill.
 
West Chester (13-10, 2-2 PSAC East) split its second conference doubleheader. Kutztown (7-12, 1-1) opened its conference slate with the split.
 
Trailing 2-0 in the top of the fourth, Norris hit her fourth career HR, and first since 2012, to right field to cut the deficit in half. The Golden Rams then plated four runs in the fifth to make a winner out of Erb (3-6). A pair of errors, and a RBI double by Erin Quense, helped spark the four-run rally.
 
Erb scattered four hits over 5.1 innings without allowing a run. She walked two and did not strike out a batter. Norris finished 2-for-4 in the opener while Quense was 2-for-3.
 
In the nightcap, Kutztown scored twice in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the game at 2-all. That is the way things stayed until the 10th inning when West Chester plated a run thanks to the international tie-breaking rule that put a runner on second base to start the inning.
 
Jess Schuck's sacrifice fly gave the Golden Rams a 3-2 lead. However, the Golden Bears answered in the bottom half when they loaded the bases with one out and scored the tying run on a catcher's interference. The next batter than singled to center field to score the winning run.
 
Kim Murl started and lasted 6.1 innings. She yielded two runs on six hits, walked five and struck out five. She also went 2-for-5 at the plate with a RBI. Erb came on in relief again and threw three innings, surrendering two runs, only one of which was earned, on two hits. She walked two and did not strike out a batter.
 
West Chester will return home Friday afternoon to take on Mansfield in a PSAC East doubleheader. First pitch is at 2 p.m., weather permitting.