#18 Kutztown set to take on #8 Bloomsburg

What: Kutztown Golden Bears @ Bloomsburg Huskies
When: Sunday, April 6, 2008 @ 1:00 p.m. (Doubleheader)
Where: North Campus Field on the campus of Kutztown University

Game Info
In what will likely prove to be their most telling games of the season to this point, the Golden Bears will head to Bloomsburg on Sunday afternoon to take on the PSAC East-leading Huskies. The doubleheader, set to begin at 1 p.m., will match the top two teams in the Eastern division. The Huskies, ranked eighth in division II, lead the East with a 5-1 record, while the 18^th-ranked Golden Bears are right there with them at 5-1. The doubleheader was originally scheduled for Friday night, but was moved to Sunday due to inclement weather.

KU enters the game off a split with East Stroudsburg on Wednesday, as they were upset 6-2 in game one, before bouncing back with a 7-1 victory in game two. They sport a 28-6 overall record in 2008.

Meanwhile, the Huskies enter the game off a doubleheader with West Chester on Saturday. BU won game one 2-1 before falling 5-4 in game two. On Wednesday, they swept a talented Shippensburg squad by scores of 3-2 and 6-4. Entering the weekend at 25-2, the Huskies have the least amount of losses among the top 25 teams in the nation (according to the NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll).

Last season, KU won three of the four matchups between the teams. At North Campus Field, the Golden Bears fell 9-0 before winning 7-1. Later in the season, KU won 3-2 and 5-2 on the road.

Probable Starting Lineups
Kutztown:
1. Kim Morrison – 2B
2. Maria Schiavo – LF
3. Steph Denlinger – 1B
4. Ashley Fitzgerald – CA/DH
5. Krista Cameron – 3B
6. Krista Tedjeske – SS
7. Caitlin Hague – CA/DH
8. Maggie Reifsnyder – RF
9. Kathy Gregg – CF
SPs: Kait Arbogast & Monica Glomb/Mary Hoch

Bloomsburg:
1. Tara Reed – SS
2. Mandy Koch – 2B
3. Lacy Mauro – LF
4. Jenna Hampton – DH
5. Kayleen Sidisky – 3B
6. Nikki Shiko – CF
7. Casey Massimini – RF
8. Tiff Corliss – CA
9. Jess Rosin – 1B
SPs: Ashley Lynn & Sheelin Fisher

Scouting Report
In what has been a rare occurrence this season, KU is not the favorite to sweep the series. The Golden Bears played some of the top team’s in the nation earlier this year when they played in tournaments down south, but those games were mostly tune-ups for each team’s respective conference games. The Huskies have some top-notch offensive threats and one of the best pitching staffs around. The teams are relatively even and, since there hasn’t been too much roster turnover since last season for either team, both games are likely to be close right down to the finish.

The Golden Bears will look to the pitching trifecta of Kait Arbogast (14-4 1.93), Monica Glomb (7-2 1.97), and Mary Hoch (5-0 1.37) to keep them in games, while counting on the high-octane offense to power them to victories. Steph Denlinger (.387-7-32), Ashley Fitzgerald (.424-10-32), and Krista Cameron (.363-4-26) can all hit the ball out of the park at any given moment and they will need to provide that power on Friday. Kim Morrison (.262-3-14) will leadoff for KU and despite her recent struggles, she’s a proven hitter who can break out for 3-4 hits on any given day. Maria Schiavo (.340-0-12) will be called upon to move base runners out of the two hole, but is another threat to set the table with a big hit at any time. Krista Tedjeske (.231-1-14), Caitlin Hague (.250-1-9), Maggie Reifsnyder (.231-2-5), and Kathy Gregg (.298-5-14) are all capable hitters who will look to provide runs from the bottom of the order.

The Huskies will rely on their superstar pitcher Ashley Lynn (11-1 0.67) to carry them to the Promised Land. The senior has allowed opponents to hit just .212 and has struck out 81 in 83 innings of work. Sheelin Fisher (8-1 1.10) will likely start game two, while Tara Reed (6-0 0.78) rounds out a stellar pitching staff.

BU’s offensive attack is led by seven regulars who are hitting above .300. Nikki Shiko (.406-2-9) and Tara Reed (.333-1-12) lead the team in runs scored, while Jenna Hampton (.327-2-16) has the most RBIs. Shiko, Hampton, and Mandy Koch (.347-2-8) each have a team-high two homers. Tiff Corliss (.396-0-6), Lacy Mauro (.359-0-11), and Lori Neyhard (.320-0-8) will also be counted on for run production.

In order to compete with the Huskies, the Golden Bears will need a bounce back game from Kait Arbogast, as well as, more production from the offense than they’ve been delivering. If I had to bet, I’d put money on the doubleheader ending up a split, but both games will likely be close, so they could easily go either way. The Golden Bears have more pop than the Huskies, so don’t be shocked if KU wins at least one of the games thanks to a clutch homerun.