Kutztown, Pa. - Cordell Shannon struck out nine in 6 1/3 innings, and freshman
Andrew Mayhew stranded the potential tying run on third base for his first career save as Millersville beat Kutztown 4-3 and salvaged a split in Friday's PSAC East doubleheader at University Field. Kutztown won the opener, 7-1.
Millersville's game one loss snapped a four-game winning streak, but the game two win pushed its record to 14-8 overall and 2-1 in PSAC East play. Kutztown's record moved to 7-7 (1-3).
After going 1-1 in his first five starts, Shannon has won two consecutive starts, totaling 19 strikeouts in those two outings. On Friday, he came within one of his career high.
Millersville totaled just five hits in both games.
Kaylor Kulina had three of the team's hits in the opener. Five Marauders had one hit in game two.
GAME 1
Ben Snyder's solo home run in the top of the first inning gave Millersville an early lead but that was the Marauders' lone highlight of the game. Millersville mustered just four more hits the rest of the way--three of which were off the bat of Kulina. Millersville stranded at least one runner in every inning.
A pair of singles and a throwing error helped Kutztown even the score in the first, and an error and a wild pitch helped Kutztown to a three-run third. Kutztown pulled away with three more in the sixth.
Eli Nabholz (3-3) took the loss, but just two of the five runs he allowed were earned. He struck out eight in five innings. Kutztown's Michael Hunter (3-0) notched the win, allowing one run on five hits and three walks over five innings. Kevin Snell recorded his first save with two hitless innings.
GAME 2
Millersville took a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh. Shannon struck out the leadoff batter, but Bo Rottet followed with a single to left. Mike Villa then doubled to put a pair of runners in scoring position. Millersville called on Mayhew to face Nick Lafferty, who flied out to right field, but it was deep enough for Rottet to score, and Villa moved in to the third. With the tying run 90 feet away, Mayhew got Cox to fly out to left on a 2-2 pitch.
Shannon scattered seven hits and allowed three runs for his second consecutive win. Kutztown put at least one runner on base in five of the seven innings.
Despite scoring first on a Ted William sacrifice fly in the top of the first, the Marauders had to come from behind. Kutztown's Colin Bishop singled Villa and Rottet in the bottom of the first, giving the Golden Bears a lead that would stand until Williams doubled in
Eric Callahan in the third. Millersville broke the tie in the fifth when
Cole Friese' double scored
Brandon White. A Williams ground ball looked to be the third out of the inning, but an error allowed Friese to score for a 4-2 Millersville lead.
Friese reached base twice on a single and hit-by-pitch. He also stole a base and scored twice. Williams went 2 for 2 with two RBIs.
UP NEXT
Millersville returns to Cooper Park Saturday to take on Kutztown in a PSAC East doubleheader. First pitch is 1 p.m.
