MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - For 361 days, the Millersville Marauders waited. There was a spring season canceled with fall and winter sports suffering the same fate. But on Friday evening Millersville softball brought competition back to reality in the midst of a global pandemic and did so grand fashion, sweeping PSAC East rival Kutztown by scores of 14-10 and 10-6. 

It was the first time in the program's history that it opened the season against a divisional opponent and the first 2-0 start to PSAC East play since 2016. Millersville smashed six home runs and totaled 24 hits in the doubleheader with Hunter Little's 5-for-7, two-home run, five-RBI showing leading the way. Faith Willenbrock, Millersville's all-time home runs leader, hit her 28th and 29th career homers, and Devan Masciulli launched her first career grand slam in the first inning of game two. Millersville hit three homers in both games. 

Senior Maddie Guinane provided the Marauders with a steady presence in the circle. She closed out game with 1 2/3 innings of relief work and then tossed a complete game in the nightcap. 
 
GAME ONE (MILLERSVILLE 14, KUTZTOWN 10)
• Millersville raced to a 7-0 lead before Kutztown finally got on the board in the fourth. Gabi Turner, Taylor Lenker and Masciulli started Millersville's scoring with RBI hits in the second. In the third, Willenbrock blasted a two-run shot and Little followed with a solo homer. Freshman Aleese Angelo added to the lead with a single in the fourth. 
• Millersville starter Morgan Crutcher tossed 3 1/3 hitless innings until Kutztown broke through in the fourth using four hits and taking advantage of a couple of errors. Millersville, however, capitalized on a Kutztown miscue the very next half inning, scoring five runs on just two hits. 
• Kutztown closed the gap to 12-10 until Rebecca Blatt smacked a two-run home run in the top of the seventh. Guinane, who entered with the bases loaded in the sixth and got the Marauders out of a jam, worked her way through the seventh without allowing a run. 
• Crutcher earned the win after throwing 4 2/3 innings with a pair of strikeouts. 
• Willenbrock and Little both recorded three hits while Blatt, Masciulli and Sam Fried each had two. 
 
GAME TWO (MILLERSVILLE 10, KUTZTOWN 6)
• A pair of Kuztown mistakes opened the door to a big Millersville first inning. Masciulli was hit by a pitch, and Blatt reached on an error. Then, with two outs, a wild pitch scored Masciulli. A walk put Turner on base, and Little's three-run homer cleared the bases. In her second trip to the plate in the inning, Masciulli hit a grand slam that gave the Marauders eight unearned runs--all coming with two outs.
• Willenbrock's second homer of the day came in the second, and Little plated a run with a single that scored Willenbrock in the fourth. That was more than enough offense for Millersville as Guinane battled for seven innings, giving up five earned runs on eight hits and five walks while striking out two. 
• Millersville's defense had its moments as well. In the fifth inning, Masciulli made a brilliant diving catch as she ranged to her glove side in right-center, robbing Jenna Lipowski of sure extra bases. 
 
REACTION FROM COACH JEN PROBST
• On the lineup's performance: "Kutztown is always tough, especially in the circle. We've been working really hard at hitting different speeds and different pitches. I saw a lot of trust in our offensive mindset and individual execution."
• On Guinane's effort: "Maddie has worked really hard on her mental toughness and it showed today. It allowed her to keep mixing pitches and see batters five or six times and be successful. I'm really proud of her effort."
• On being the first Millersville team to return to play: "The support and messages I received from colleagues made me really proud of our department. It's great to bring two team wins to the Ville today."

NOTES
• Millersville last scored 14 runs against a PSAC East opponent on April 24, 2018. It was also the highest total ever scored against Kutztown, dating back to 1984. 
• Little's three hits in game one were a career-high. Masciulli's four RBIs in game two were also a career-high. Sam Fried also recorded a career-high with two hits in game one. 
• Dating back to last season, Willenbrock has hit one home run in four of her last six games. 
 
UP NEXT
• Millersville stays at Seaber Stadium to finish out the series with Kutztown on Saturday, March 5. First pitch for the doubleheader is set for 1 p.m.