Saturday Update

The KU basketball teams will wrap up the regular season today at Bloomsburg.

The ladies opened the action with a 60-46 victory against the Huskies. The Golden Bears complete the regular season at 20-7 overall and 10-4 in the PSAC East. West Chester and Millersville will both win on Saturday, which means #3 Kutztown will open the PSAC playoffs at #2 Millersville on Tuesday. #4 Cheyney will be at #1 West Chester.

The men's team also wrapped up the regular season with a victory, smoking the Huskies 105-74. The Golden Bears improve to 24-3 overall and 13-1 in the PSAC East. The top-seeded division champs will take on #4 Mansfield at Keystone Hall on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the first round of the PSAC Playoffs. #2 Cheyney will play host to #3 West Chester in the other Eastern division first round game.

1/31: KU 88, Bloomsburg 63

Ryan Washington added another double-double to his resume on Saturday with a 16 points, 11 rebound effort against the Huskies.

Hollinger Game Score:

1. Ben 28.3 - 10-of-16 on the day for 31 points, 6 boards, and 5 steals. Man is he on a roll.
2. Washington 17.5 - 16 point, 11 rebound effort for the sophomore
3. Dennis 16.1 - Scored 20 points on 19 shots. Also had 9 rebounds and 4 dimes
4. Bower 3.9 - 6 points, 4 rebounds in 20 minutes before fouling out
5. Coffey 2.7 - Missed shot, rebound, assist, 2 steals in 11 minutes
6. Gray 2.4 - 4 points, including a three pointer, and 3 steals highlighted his 15 minutes
7. Wenner 2.4 - Bucket and an assist in 3 minutes
8. Woodlin 1.0 - 2-of-8 from the field for 5 points, 4 rebounds
9. White 0.0 - 2-for-2 for 4 points, but fouled out and had 2 turnovers in 11 minutes
10. Ford-Bey 0.0 - Nothing doing in 2 minutes
11. Vrabel -0.9 - Had a chance to finally score a point, but missed 2 free throws
12. Coombs -1.8 - The struggles continue: 2 fouls, 2 turnovers in 8 minutes

Boxscore
YTD Hollinger Game Score

1/31: KU 66, Bloomsburg 56

Vivian Melvin scored 11 points and hauled in 8 rebounds in Saturday's 66-56 win over Bloomsburg.

Hollinger Game Score:

1. McQuade 16.6 - A monster 18 point, 15 rebound, 4 steal evening for the sophomore
2. Melvin 9.5 - 11 points, 8 boards
3. Wisemiller 7.3 - Only 8 points, but had 5 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 dimes
4. Schroeder 6.9 - Did a nice job on Kegerreis, but was whistled for 4 fouls. Still had 11 points, 2 steals, 3 rebounds in 22 minutes
5. Dellegrotti 4.6 - First game back from concussion: 0-for-5, but hit 6 free throws and had 4 boards
6. Starr 3.4 - 8 points, 3 boards, 2 dimes
7. Mertz 1.4 - 4 points and 3 fouls in 10 minutes
8. Dovey -0.2 - 0 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
9. Greaves -0.8 - 2 missed shots, rebound, foul, block in 9 minutes

Inactives:
LeVan

Boxscore
YTD Hollinger Game Score

Saturday Update

Both the women's and men's teams were victorious on Saturday night, knocking off the struggling Bloomsburg Huskies in both games.

The women opened the evening with a 66-56 win to improve to 15-4 overall this season, which includes a 5-1 PSAC East record.

The men followed with an 88-63 thrashing of the Huskies, which improves their overall record to 16-3 and their divisional record to 5-1.

Men prepare for Huskies

P.S.A.C East Men’s Basketball
1/31/2009 @ Keystone Hall
Bloomsburg Huskies (4-14, 1-4)
@ Kutztown Golden Bears (15-3, 4-1)

Radio: Golden Bear Network on www.kubears.com
(Mike Clay/Jimmie Johnson/Tyler Schueck)

The Golden Bears come into the game at 15-3 overall this season, which includes a 4-1 record in the P.S.A.C. East. Kutztown has won 4 straight and 6 of its last 7 games. The Golden Bears recent win streak included an 88-65 win at home against Millersville, an 85-69 home win against Mansfield, a close 69-68 win at Shippensburg, and finally, a 97-71 thrashing at West Chester on Wednesday.

The Golden Bears recent win steak has moved them into a tie with Cheyney for the top spot in the PSAC East at 4-1. East Stroudsburg, West Chester, and Mansfield follow at 3-2. Shippensburg at 2-3, Bloomsburg at 1-4, and Millersville at 0-5, round out the division.

The Huskies, as mentioned, have just one divisional win and are 4-14 overall this season. Their latest action was a 60-58 loss at home to Shippensburg on Thursday.

The Golden Bears came up victorious in both meetings between the teams last season. Kutztown won by a score of 67-52 on the road before taking care of business at home by a score of 97-68.

Probable Starters:
Bloomsburg:
So - C- # 50 – Marko Vucajnk
So - F- # 43 – Michael Varanavage
Sr - F- # 32 – Bryson Mills
Fr - G- # 20 – Jesse Betar
Fr - G- # 12 – Mark Wartman

Bloomsburg is coached by John Sanow. He is assisted by Mark Prusch and student assistants Michael Hamlin and Buddy Rose

Kutztown:
Sr - C- # 44 – Mark Bower
So - F- # 52 – Ryan Washington
Sr - G- # 34 – Dave Ben
Sr - G- # 24 – Andre Woodlin
Jr - G- # 14 – Stephen Dennis

Kutztown is coached by Bernie Driscoll. He is assisted by Tom York, Rich Hicks, and Andre Coles.

Ladies set to host slumping Huskies

P.S.A.C East Women’s Basketball
1/31/2009 @ Keystone Hall
Bloomsburg Huskies (8-10, 0-5)
@ Kutztown Golden Bears (14-4, 5-1)

Radio: Golden Bear Network on www.kubears.com
(Mike Clay/Jimmie Johnson/Tyler Schueck)

The Golden Bears come into the game at 14-4 overall this season, which includes a 4-1 record in the P.S.A.C. East. Kutztown has won 5 of its last 6 games, including a win at the then-division-leading West Chester Golden Rams 67-60 on Wednesday.

That win over West Chester moved Kutztown to a three way tie with the Golden Rams and the Red Raiders of Shippensburg atop the PSAC East. Each team sports a 4-1 record. Cheyney and Millersville are each 3-2 in the division, while East Stroudsburg sits at 2-3. Mansfield and today’s opponent, Bloomsburg, sit in the basement at 0-5.

Bloomsburg, as mentioned, has yet to win a game in divisional play and is 8-10 overall this season. The Huskies latest action was a 57-50 loss at home to Shippensburg on Thursday. Despite their disappointing 0-5 record, the Huskies have been competitive for the most part in divisional play. Two of their losses were by 1 point in overtime, while two others were by less than 10 points.

The Golden Bears came up victorious in both meetings between the teams last season. Kutztown won by a score of 71-52 on the road before taking care of business at home by a score of 76-56.

Probable Starters:
Bloomsburg:
Sr - C- # 25 – Colleen Kegerreis
So – F- # 23 – Niemah Brooks
Fr - G- # 13 – Kelsey Gallagher
Sr - G- # 20 – Kelly Joyce
Sr - G- # 21 – Lauren Healy

Bloomsburg is coached by Bill Cleary and he is assisted by Diane Decker, Jennifer Cughan, and Sy Fulton

Kutztown:
Jr - C- # 33 – Chauntelle Schroeder
So - F- # 23 – Melissa McQuade
Jr – F - # 32 – Katie Dovey
Jr - G- # 11 – Rachel Wisemiller
So - G- # 13 – Meredith Starr

Kutztown is coached by Janet Malouf and the assistant coach is Steve Hahn.

Softball team eliminated

The 2008 softball season has come to an end for the Golden Bears after they were defeated by Bloomsburg 3-0 in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament on Sunday. The loss brings the careers of Caitlin Hague and Kathy Gregg to a close. Check back later this week for a full season recap and a look ahead to 2009.

Bloomsburg now advances to the regional championship against Lock Haven later today.

Complete Schedule/Results

Softball falls, now faces elimination

The KU softball team fell 3-1 to Bloomsburg in a winner's bracket game on Thursday and will now face elimination the rest of the tournament. The Golden Bears move on to face West Chester Saturday at 11:30. KU's lone run came via an Ashley Fitzgerald solo homerun.

If the Golden Bears beat West Chester, they advance to a 4:30 meeting with the winner of Saturday's first game between California and Shippensburg. If KU loses either of those games, the 2008 season will come to a close.

As always, you can listen to both of Saturday's games live on the Golden Bear Network. Be sure to check back for schedule changes as inclement weather is in the forecast.

Ladies clinch playoff berth

Recap:
Friday, April 18 vs. Bloomsburg:
Game 1: L 2-5
Monica Glomb was lit up for five runs, four earned, on 10 hits in a complete game effort as KU fell 5-2 in game one. Steph Denlinger hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to cut the KU deficit to one run, but the Huskies answered with a two spot in the top of the seventh to put the game out of reach. Kathy Gregg was 2-for-3 at the plate.
Game 2: L 1-4
The Golden Bears left 10 runners stranded in a 4-1 game two loss, allowing the Huskies to complete the daily sweep. Maria Schiavo and Gregg each had two hits in the loss. Maggie Reifsnyder was 0-for-3 and stranded seven runs. Kait Arbogast took the loss for KU, allowing four runs on nine hits in seven innings.

Saturday, April 19 @ East Stroudsburg:
Game 1: W 10-1
The Golden Bears bounced back on Sunday with a 10-1 smoking of ESU in game one. KU put up 17 hits in the win, led by three-hit days by Maria Schiavo and Caitlin Hague. Steph Denlinger, Ashley Fitzgerald, Krista Cameron, and Maggie Reifsnyder each had two hits. Arbogast was the winning pitcher, tossing a complete game, four-hitter. She allowed just one unearned run and struck out nine.
Game 2: W 6-2
The Golden Bears put 10 more hits on the board in game two en route to a 6-2 win. Hague, Kathy Gregg, and Krista Tedjeske carried the offensive load with two hits a piece. Tedjeske scored twice and drove in two runs. Mary Hoch was the starting pitcher for KU but was replaced by Monica Glomb after 2.2 innings of work. Glomb was the winning pitcher, tossing a scoreless 4.1 innings, while allowing just two hits.

What we liked:
The Golden Bears bounced back nicely on Saturday after a big letdown on Friday afternoon. Besides the two losses to Bloomsburg on Friday, ESU was the only other PSAC East team that had beaten KU this season. Instead of coming out in a funk against a team that knew they had it in them to knock off a good team like KU, the Golden Bears came out swinging and dominated the Warriors. Caitlin Hague was 6-of-10 (.600) and Kathy Gregg was 7-of-12 (.583) over the weekend. Both drove in two runs and scored twice. Maria Schiavo had a decent weekend, going 5-for-13 (.385) at the dish. Ashley Fitzgerald was 4-for-11 (.364), while Steph Denlinger was 4-for-12 (.333) and drove in five runs. Kim Morrison scored five runs in the four games. Krista Tedjeske seems to have broken from her slump. She was 3-for-10 (.300) at the plate, scored twice, and drove in two.

What we didn’t like:
You won’t see these names in this section very often, but the pitching wasn’t on the top of its game this weekend. Ace Kait Arbogast was 1-1 with a 2.15 ERA in 13 innings of work. She allowed 13 hits in that span, but did strike out 15 hitters. Monica Glomb was also 1-1, but with a bit higher of an ERA at 2.52 in 11.1 innings. Mary Hoch threw just 2.2 innings in game two against ESU and allowed four earned runs on five hits. At the plate, Krista Cameron hit a speed bump, managing just a 3-for-15 (.200) weekend. Maggie Reifsnyder seems to have cooled off, as she was 3-of-13 at the plate, including 0-for-6 against BU. Overall, the offensive output looks good for the weekend, but KU left a lot of runners on base. This was most notable in game two against Bloomsburg on Friday, as KU certainly had several opportunities to take the lead and even run away with that game. The Golden Bears did not bring their A-game on Friday and one can only hope that their performance will serve as a wake up call for the rest of the season.

Impact:
The Golden Bears sweep of ESU on Saturday clinched them a spot in the PSAC playoffs. KU (17-3) also had a chance to clinch the PSAC East title this weekend and, although they still maintain a three-game lead in the division, Bloomsburg (13-5) is certainly not out of the running. The Huskies will likely hold on for one of the two remaining playoff spots, but the third is certainly up for grabs. Shippensburg (9-9) holds the spot right now, but West Chester (8-10), ESU (8-12), Mansfield (6-12), and Millersville (5-15) are not far behind. KU’s biggest doubleheader of the season will come on Tuesday when they play host to PSAC West contender Lock Haven. The Lady Eagles are ranked second in the nation and are 34-6 overall in 2008, including 15-1 in the West. The Golden Bears, meanwhile, enter the game 40-8 this season and are 10^th in the nation. Check back this afternoon for a full doubleheader preview.

Softball ready for rematch with Huskies

What: Bloomsburg Huskies @ Kutztown Golden Bears
When: Friday, April 18, 2008 @ 2:30 p.m. (Doubleheader)
Where: North Campus Field on the campus of Kutztown University
Radio: Golden Bear Network at 2:20 p.m. (Clay, Johnson, Kemps)

Game Info
The 10^th-ranked KU softball team can clinch at least a share of the PSAC East title on Friday afternoon when they play host to 19^th-ranked Bloomsburg.

The Golden Bears are 38-6 overall this season and 15-1 in the PSAC East. The Huskies (9-5) have allowed KU to pull away over the last few weeks, but still remain in second. Shippensburg (9-7) currently has a relatively tight hold on the third and final playoff spot, but West Chester (6-8), ESU (6-10), Millersville (5-11) and Mansfield (4-12) are still in the mix.

The Golden Bears enter the game fresh off Wednesday’s doubleheader sweep at Mansfield. KU won 8-0 and 6-0 to complete the season sweep of the Mounties.

The Huskies, meanwhile, are coming off a split with East Stroudsburg on Wednesday afternoon. Following a game one 2-1 loss, the Huskies rebounded with an 8-0 shellacking of the Warriors. With a 34-7 overall record this season, Bloomsburg comes into the game just percentage points behind the Golden Bears.

These two teams met at Bloomsburg back on April 6 with the Golden Bears sweeping the doubleheader by scores of 5-1 and 2-1.

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/SS
5. Krista Cameron – 3B
6. Maggie Reifsnyder – RF
7. Caitlin Hague – CA/DH
8. Krista Tedjeske – SS
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
The Golden Bears have already swept the Huskies once, and with the PSAC East title within their grasp, they should be as motivated as ever to sweep the Huskies out of Kutztown. The Huskies do, however, have a lot of talent, including a few top-notch offensive threats and one of the best pitching staffs around. The teams are relatively even and, like in the first meetings, both games are likely to be close right down to the finish.

The Golden Bears will look to the pitching trifecta of Kait Arbogast (17-4 1.59), Monica Glomb (9-2 1.58), and Mary Hoch (9-0 1.19) to keep them in games, while counting on the high-octane offense to power them to victories. Steph Denlinger (.381-11-41), Ashley Fitzgerald (.465-14-48), and Krista Cameron (.353-5-30) 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 (.254-3-16) will leadoff for KU has been playing well over the last few weeks. Maria Schiavo (.292-0-12) 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. Maggie Reifsnyder (.302-4-9) has recently been moved to the six hole to provide a threat behind the “big three” and she has not disappointed. She is quietly becoming the power hitter coach Judy Lawes was hoping for. Krista Tedjeske (.231-1-14), Caitlin Hague (.257-1-10), and Kathy Gregg (.278-6-19) 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 (15-3 0.93) to carry them to the Promised Land. The senior has allowed opponents to hit just .208 and has struck out 138 in 128.1 innings of work. Sheelin Fisher (11-2 1.08) will likely start game two, while Tara Reed (7-2 0.98) rounds out a stellar pitching staff.

BU’s offensive attack is led by six regulars who are hitting above .300. Tara Reed (.420-1-21) leads the team in runs scored with 28 and steals with 10. Reed and Jenna Hampton (.324-3-21) have the most RBIs, while Hampton is tops on the team in homers. Mandy Koch (.313-2-11), Nikki Shiko (.351-2-10), Tiff Corliss (.316-1-13), and Lacy Mauro (.317-0-16) will also be counted on for run production.

In order to continue their assault of the Huskies, the Golden Bears will need the continued superb work of the pitching staff. Kait Arbogast, Monica Glomb, and Mary Hoch have been quite the trifecta this season and will be key to the team’s success the rest of the way. I’d expect both games to be close and I wouldn’t be completely surprised if Bloomsburg was able to steal one of the games. As good as KU is, the Huskies are also a top 25 team in the nation and can break out at any time.

Bloom-who? Shippen-what?

Recap:
Sunday, April 6 @ Bloomsburg:
Game 1: W 5-1
A Steph Denlinger three-run homer, coupled with a Kathy Gregg two-run blast, was enough to push KU past 8^th-ranked Bloomsburg by a score of 5-1. Kim Morrison and Gregg each had two hits in the win. Kait Arbogast was on the hill for KU and allowed just one run on five hits in a complete game effort. She also struck out eight en route to the win over BU pitcher Ashley Lynn, who along with Arbogast and Lock Haven’s Kristin Erb, is arguably one of the top three pitchers in the entire PSAC.
Game 2: W 2-1
Monica Glomb continued her hot streak, allowing one run on six hits in a complete game effort. The freshman also struck out 10 en route to her 10^th win of the season. KU had just four hits in the game, but two of them were solo homeruns off the bats of Denlinger and Ashley Fitzgerald.

Monday, April 7 vs. Shippensburg:
Game 1: W 6-5
Denlinger hit a game-tying solo homer in the seventh and then drove in the winning run with a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the eighth to carry KU to a 6-5 win. Denlinger, Fitzgerald, and Krista Cameron each had a pair of hits, while freshman Maggie Reifsnyder broke out with a three hit game. Glomb allowed five runs, but none were earned on six hits in 5.1 innings of work. Mary Hoch was the winning pitcher, striking out six hitters while tossing 2.2 perfect innings in relief.
Game 2: W 2-0
KU scores just two runs on four hits, but Hoch and Arbogast teamed up to shutout the Raiders in the 2-0 affair. Hoch tossed the first four innings and allowed just two hits before Arbogast threw three innings of one-hit ball for the save. Fitzgerald led the offense with a 2-for-3 day, while Denlinger and Cameron each added a hit a piece.

What we liked:
Just as we expected, the outstanding pitching depth and the big bats carried KU through its toughest four-game set of the season. No one could have predicted that the Golden Bears would sweep both Bloomsburg and Shippensburg, but what a statement this team made. The Kait Arbogast-Monica Glomb-Mary Hoch pitching trifecta allowed a whopping two earned runs in 29 total innings during the four game set. The three pitchers combined to go 4-0, struck out 34 batters, and their combined ERA was 0.49.

The offense was led by their own powerful trifecta: Steph Denlinger, Ashley Fitzgerald, and Krista Cameron. Denlinger hit .455, scored five times, and drove in six over the weekend. Fitzgerald hit .462 and Cameron was .385 at the plate. Freshman Maggie Reifsnyder saw limited action, but hit .429 and drove in two runs in just seven at bats.

What we didn’t like:
The only weakness was the recurring one: top of the order hitting. Following leadoff hitter Kim Morrison’s two hits against Bloomsburg in game one on Sunday, she went hitless in the next three games. She ended up 2-of-16 (.125) and scored just once. In the two slot, Maria Schiavo was not much better, as she was just 2-of-15 (.133) at the dish and scored one run. KU is going to need more production and base runners if they hope to do damage at the regional and national level.

Impact:
The wins, as you might imagine, are huge. They improve KU’s PSAC East record to 9-1, which puts them three games ahead of second-place Bloomsburg (5-3) and four games ahead of the third-place combo of West Chester and Shippensburg (4-4, tie). Kutztown entered last week ranked 18^th in division II, but this should push them to near the top 10—especially since Bloomsburg was (for some reason) ranked ahead of them in eighth. The weekend sweep solidifies KU as the best team in East, which will make April 22nd^’s showdown at North Campus Field with Lock Haven (the top team in the PSAC West, the 2006 National Champions, and the 2007 national runner-ups), one for the ages.

Softball takes two from #8 Bloomsburg

The Golden Bears won two huge games on Sunday, sweeping Bloomsburg by scores of 5-1 and 2-1. KU entered the game ranked 18th in the nation and were tied with the 8th-ranked Huskies for first place in the PSAC East. The road sweep improves KU to 7-1 and puts them two games ahead of the 5-3 Huskies. The Golden Bears will hope to avoid a letdown as they take on the 4-2 Shippensburg Lady Raiders Monday at 1 p.m. at North Campus Field.

A full recap of the Bloomsburg and Shippensburg doubleheaders will be available Tuesday.

#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.

Baseball splits with Bloom

Recap:
Saturday, March 29 vs. Bloomsburg:
Game 1: W 5-1
Darin Gorski (4-2) tossed a complete game, allowing one run on four hits en route to a 5-1 KU victory. DH James Quigley [Pictured], 1B Jared Frey, and CA Matt Kulbacki each had two hits, while SS Mike Kacelowicz has one. Quigley and LF Chad Lightcap each scored twice, while Frey knocked in a team-high two runs.

Game 2: L 0-1
The Golden Bears out-hit the Huskies 5-3, but failed to score a run and fell by a score of 1-0. Lightcap, Quigley, OF Mike Dugan, CA Scott Kacelowicz, and IF Mark Renda provided the five KU hits. Derek Reis took the loss for the Golden Bears despite allowing just one run on three hits in 5.2 innings of work.

Sunday, March 30 @ Bloomsburg:
Game 1: L 5-3
Two errors by KU allowed the Huskies to score four unearned runs in the sixth inning, propelling them to a 5-3 win. Garrison Rausch took the loss for KU, allowing five runs, one earned, one six hits in 5.1 innings. The Golden Bears managed just six hits, including a team-high two from Frey, who also scored a run. Scott Kacelowicz drove in two of KU’s three runs.

Game 2: W 10-4
The KU offense finally got rolling in Sunday’s second game, as they exploded to a 10-4 victory. Phil Rummel was on the hill for KU and allowed four runs, one earned, on nine hits in six innings of work. The Golden Bears’ offense was led by three-hit days from Quigley and Dugan. Contributing two hits a piece was Frey, Kulbacki, Rausch, and RF Corey Buletza, who also homered. Buletza drove in a team-high two runs, while Lightcap, Quigley, and Kulbacki each scored twice.

What we liked:
James Quigley was outstanding despite entering the weekend with 10 career at bats at KU. He was 7-of-15 (.467) at the plate and scored four runs. Jared Frey was 6-of-12 (.500), scored three times, and drove in three runs. Mike Dugan was 5 of-10 (.500), scored a pair of runs, and drove in two more. The catcher tandem of Scott Kacelowicz and Matt Kulbacki was also stellar, as they combined for six hits in nine at bats, as well as, four runs and two RBIs.

The pitching was much better than a 2-2 record might indicate. Each starter allowed just one earned run and all four of them (Gorski, Reis, Rausch, Rummel) lasted into the sixth inning.

What we didn’t like:
At times the offense looked extremely dull, and as you can tell from the boxscore and game recaps, it was extremely inconsistent. The Golden Bears scored four runs over two innings in game one on Saturday before getting shutout in game two. On Sunday, they broke through for three runs in the fourth inning, but that was their only run production. Then, in game two, they finally showed some consistent production, scoring at least one run in four different innings.

No complaints can be made about the stellar pitching, but there were a few players who struggled at the plate—not surprising for such a young squad. Mike Kacelowicz was just 2-of-14 (.143) at the plate and scored just once in the four games, which is unacceptable for a leadoff man. Mark Renda spends a lot of time in the two hole and was just 1-of-8 (.125) in the hitting department. The team’s best hitter Chad Lightcap bats from the three spot in the order and, although he did score four runs, he struggled to a 3-of-14 (.214) weekend at the plate. Garrison Rausch and Corey Buletza broke out in the final game of the weekend, but each managed just two hits a piece overall. Fellow freshmen Jeff Kistle and Brett Wigder combined for a 0-for-10 weekend.

Impact:
As mentioned in my preview for this series, KU needed to take at least three games from Bloomsburg. They failed to do that, but at least came away with wins in two of the four. The competition for a PSAC playoff berth will only get tougher from here, so manager Chris Blum is going to have to hope that his young team will continue to improve as the year goes on. There is no reason to believe that won’t be the case, as this is an extremely young team with loads of talent—not to mention a pitching staff that can keep them close in every game. I still think KU will sneak into the playoffs, but it’s going to be close. They will need to starting beating the team’s that are worse than them, unlike what happened this past weekend.

Baseball team set for 4 with Bloom

What: Bloomsburg Huskies @ Kutztown Golden Bears
When: Saturday, March 29, 2008 @ 1 p.m. (Doubleheader)
Where: North Campus Field on the campus of Kutztown University
~and~
What: Kutztown Golden Bears @ Bloomsburg Huskies
When: Sunday, March 30, 2008 @ 1 p.m. (Doubleheader)*
Where: Danny Litwhiler Field on the campus of Bloomsburg University
*Originally scheduled for Friday, but was postponed due to potential inclement weather

Game Info
The Golden Bears baseball team will kick off PSAC East action this weekend when they play four games against the Bloomsburg Huskies. The teams will play two in Kutztown on Saturday before heading to Bloomsburg on Sunday afternoon for another doubleheader.

In what has appeared to be a rebuilding season for the defending North Atlantic Region Champion Golden Bears, they enter the game at 10-10 overall and will likely need to claw their way to a PSAC playoff berth this season. They enter the game on the three-game win streak and are fresh off a 13-0 thrashing of Lebanon Valley on Thursday. Last year, KU went 49-7 overall, including 19-1 against the PSAC East, and was ranked first in the nation at one point.

The Huskies enter the game at 5-17, the worst record in the PSAC to this point. They are coming off back-to-back losses to Shippensburg and have dropped 14 of their last 17. Bloomsburg was 19-26 overall in 2007 and 9-11 in PSAC East action.

KU swept last season’s four meetings between the teams. The Golden Bears won 3-2 and 7-6 at home before taking a pair of 5-3 games on the road.

Probable Starting Lineups
Kutztown:
1. Mike Kacelowicz – SS
2. Mark Renda – 3B/2B
3. Chad Lightcap – DH/LF
4. Garrison Rausch – CF
5. Matt Kulbacki – CA
6. Corey Buletza - OF
7. Michael Dugan – 3B/1B
8. Jeff Kistle – RF
9. Brett Wigder – 2B
*6-9 will fluctuate from game to game

Bloomsburg:
1. Preston Hitchcock – 2B
2. Chris Tressler – RF
3. Tony Donofry – 3B
4. Kevin Ward – 1B/DH
5. Rich Letts – CA
6. Carlos Medina – LF
7. Matt Allen – SS
8. Tyler Ganser – 1B/DH or Billy Phillips OF/1B
9. Anthony Forman – CF

Scouting Report
KU manager Chris Blum has featured several different lineups this season and there is no reason to believe that will change as the season goes on. Not one player from last season currently plays the same position in the field and the pitching staff has a completely new look.

The top of the lineup has stayed fairly consistent with Mike Kacelowicz (.316-1-10) leading off every game in 2008. Mark Renda (.284-0-11) is likely to follow with Chad Lightcap (.459-4-18), Garrison Rausch (.140-0-5) and Matt Kulbacki (.291-5-15) filling out the meat of the order.

The second half of the lineup is likely to be different in each of the four games with Corey Buletza (.270-0-10), Michael Dugan (.308-1-7), Jeff Kistle (.208-0-7) [Pictured Above], Brett Wigder (.333-0-12), and Jared Frey (.371-0-4) likely to see a bulk of the action.

Darin Gorski (3-2 3.52), Philip Rummel (3-1 4.81), Rausch (0-1 6.26), and Steve Craig (2-1 5.00) are the only KU pitchers with more than one start under their belt this season and are good bets to get the starting nods this weekend.

The BU offense includes just two regulars hitting over .300 and a combined four homers. Chris Tressler (.314-0-6) leads the team in batting average, with Tony Donofry (.312-1-11) not far behind. Kevin Ward (.280-1-18) is the top RBI guy on the roster, while Carlos Medina (.270-0-12) and Donofry are not far behind. Leadoff man Preston Hitchcock (.253-0-9) hasn’t hit the lights out, but has a team high 16 walks and is 5-of-8 on the base paths.

Similar to KU, the Huskies sport just four pitchers who have made multiple starts this season. Mike Griggs (1-3 4.50), Chris Tressler (2-3 5.46), Chace Phillips (1-3 7.76), and Paul Culbertson (1-1 9.39) are the favorites to start this weekend.

Outlook
The Golden Bears don’t have the dominant team of a year ago, but they are still quite better than the Huskies. With that said, KU will need to come out and take care of business this weekend if they hope to get off on the right foot towards a PSAC playoff berth. BU will be hungry to knock off last season’s regional champion, but KU’s new look team should be up for the challenge. Anything less than wins in three of the four contests would be a disappointment.

Men's team shellacks Huskies

Bloomsburg Huskies 68
Kutztown Golden Bears 97

Recap: The Golden Bears stumbled out of the gate and allowed the Huskies to take the early lead, but it was only a matter of time before the more-talented KU squad ran away with the convincing victory. Four Golden Bears scored double figures in a game that saw the home team shoot an impressive 49 percent from the field. It was KU’s highest scoring game of the season and their second straight 90-plus point game in a row.

Telling Stat: There really wasn’t one stat that stood out in this game. Rather, it was a bunch of categories that, when viewed as one, show why KU dominated the game. The Golden Bears outrebounded BU 46-37, had a 22-8 advantage in assists, had 8 more blocks, and, most importantly, made 12 more shots.

Key series: KU led by as many as 17 in the first half, but the Huskies clawed to within 11 early on in the second half. The Golden Bears would answer with 7 straight points and the Huskies would get no closer than 15 the rest of the way. With KU ahead 48-37 and 18:35 to play, Andre Woodlin hit two free throws and a layup, Dave Ben nailed a free throw, and Jeremy Coombs dropped in a layup to extend the lead to 18.

Most Valuable Golden Bear: Of the 4 Golden Bears in double figures, Woodlin was certainly the most prolific on Saturday. The sophomore was 9-of-13 from the field and scored a team-high 22 points. He failed to convert each of his two three point attempts, but was 4-of-4 from the free throw line. He also chipped in with 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.

Least Valuable Golden Bear: Throughout this game, the arena had some severe and some minor technical issues. The music was muffled for the Dance Team routine, there was no sound between the action, there was loud obnoxious noises coming out of the speakers during play, and at one point, the power went out on the scoreboards and shot clocks. The LVGB goes to whoever’s fault that was…even if it was me accidently kicking an electrical outlet.

Impact: The Golden Bears win sets them up for a huge duo of road games in the next week. KU, now 8-1 in the PSAC East, heads to Millersville on Wednesday for a game with playoff implications. If KU wins, they clinch home court advantage in the first round of the PSAC playoffs. The Golden Bears then travel to Cheyney on Saturday to take on the Wolves, who are tied with KU at 8-1 atop the division.

Ladies complete sweep of Huskies

Bloomsburg Huskies 56
Kutztown Golden Bears 76

Recap: The Golden Bears took an early lead and never looked back as they easily handled the Huskies at Keystone Hall on Saturday. KU led by as many as 15 in the first half and extended that to 20 by the final whistle. The Huskies hung in the game early on thanks to a few buckets from leading scorer Colleen Kegerreis, but it wasn’t long before it was clear that KU was the superior team.

Telling Stat: The Golden Bears did not shoot much better than the Huskies in this game, but they did hit 8 three pointers and outrebounded them 47-36. The most significant stat of this affair was a margin of 21-9 in the assist department. KU, tops in the PSAC during conference play in assists, wore down the BU defense by continuing to work the ball around the court until someone was open for a clean look.

Key series: KU appeared to have put the game to bed late in the first half when they led by 15 points. However, the Huskies went on a 6-0 run to cut their deficit to single digits at the break and were within 5 with 17:27 left in the second half. The key series of the day game next as KU answered with a 9-0 run and a stretch in which they outscored the Huskies 20-5. It was started by a Rachel Weidensaul jumper and continued with two layups and a free throw from Mercedes Van Wagner. Vivian Melvin completed the 9 point swing with a layup.

Most Valuable Golden Bear: Van Wagner was a monster on the boards (8 points, 13 boards), but the athlete who seemed to make the big shots and took the air out of every BU run was Rachel Wisemiller. The sophomore scored a team-high 16 points and was 4-of-5 from beyond the three point arc. She also had 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and a block.

Least Valuable Golden Bear: KU hosted the mascot Olympics yesterday with several local mascots battling it out for mascot supremacy during breaks in the action. This award goes to whoever came up with the idea for that pink, creepy-looking softball team’s mascot. What was that thing?

Impact: The Golden Bears’ win was huge as it propelled them back into the playoff picture. KU currently sits at 4-5 and holds the fourth and final playoff spot in the PSAC East. With the win over BU, KU’s biggest challenge for the final playoff spot will be East Stroudsburg, who trails them by just one-half of a game. Left on the schedule for the Golden Bears are trips to Millersville (8-0) and Cheyney (6-3) before a huge regular season finale at home against ESU (3-5).

Golden Boys Look For Fourth Straight Win

What: Bloomsburg University @ Kutztown University
When: Saturday February 16, 2008 @ 3 p.m.
Where: Keystone Arena on the campus of Kutztown University

Fresh off securing a PSAC East playoff berth, the Golden Bears' men's basketball team will look for their fourth straight win over the doormat of the PSAC East, the Bloomsburg Huskies. KU is coming off of a 94-91 win at Mansfield on Wednesday night. It was KU's first win there since 2004. The team was paced by Dave Ben's 25 points, including a 13-of-14 showing at the foul line. Stephen Dennis and Nate Edwards added 17 a piece, while Ryan Washington grabbed six rebounds. KU led by as many as 12 in the second half , but MU cut the lead to three with 27 seconds left. KU secured the win by going 29-of38 from the charity stripe. The win moved KU into a tie with Cheyney for first place. KU has three conference games remaining after this one, including trips to CU and Millersville.

The BU Huskies have as many wins as their field hockey team had losses this season; give or take a few. BU has an 8-14 overall record and is 0-8 in PSAC East play. They have lost nine in a row and 10 of 11. Their closest margin of defeat during that span was eight points, which occured last Wednesday night in a 64-56 loss to Mansfield. BU is led by Nick Jones, who averages 16.9 points per game (7th in PSAC). Buddy Rose averages 10 points and five boards per game. As a team, BU averages 64.7 points per game, shoots 43 percent from the floor, and 32 percent from beyond the arc.

These two teams met earlier this season on January 26 at Nelson Field House. KU won that game 67-52, even without the services of Stephen Dennis. It didn't matter for the talent-laden Golden Bears as they had four players score in double figures, led by Andre Woodlin's 14. Ben added 12 and six, while Washington added 12 and nine boards. Jeremy Coombs added 10 points and six rebounds. Nick Jones led BU with 16 points. John Allen added 12 points and nine boards. Rose was held to just six points. BU shot a dismal 34.5 percent from the floor and was 1-for-17 total (5.9 %) from beyond the arc.

Probable Starters:

Bloomsburg:
G- #33 Jon DeJesus
G- #14 Drew Jerry
G- #21 Buddy Rose
F- #34 John Allen
C- #52 Jeremiah Long

Kutztown:
G- #14 Stephen Dennis
G- #32 Andre Woodlin
G/F- #34 Dave Ben
F- #52 Ryan Washington
C- #55 Jeremy Coombs

Prediction:

There really isn't much to predict here. KU handled BU earlier this year without Dennis, and proved that they have a solid group of core and bench players. Ben has been light's out lately and is making a late case for PSAC East Player of the Year. This one will be ugly throughout.

Bloomsburg 60
Kutztown 85

Ladies continue playoff push against Huskies

What: Bloomsburg Huskies @ Kutztown Golden Bears
When: Saturday, February 16, 2008 @ 1 p.m.
Where: Keystone Hall on the campus of Kutztown University

The Golden Bears head into Saturday’s contest with the Bloomsburg Huskies knowing that a loss would result in devastating consequences with regards to their playoff hopes. Just off a convincing win at Mansfield on Wednesday, KU currently sits in fifth place in the PSAC East at 3-5. The Golden Bears trail Millersville (7-0), West Chester (5-2), Cheyney (5-3), and East Stroudsburg (3-4) for one of the four divisional playoff spots.

Meanwhile, the Huskies are in a similar situation. They sit just behind KU with a record of 2-6 and need this win to creep back into playoff contention. BU is coming off a game in which they were smoked 72-50 at Millersville on Wednesday.

These teams last met in Bloomsburg on Jan. 26 with the Golden Bears coming away with a convincing 71-52 victory. KU shot an impressive 49 percent in that game and were led by a 20 point day from leading scorer Rachel Weidensaul. 11 Golden Bears scored in a game in which KU outrebounded the Huskies 44-25.

Probable Starters:

Bloomsburg:
C- # 25 – Colleen Kegerreis
F- # 31 – Monica Dennison
F- # 20 – Kelly Joyce
G- # 21 – Lauren Healy
G- # 22 – Stephanie Jones

Kutztown:
C- # 53 – Mercedes Van Wagner
F- # 23 – Melissa McQuade
F- # 15 – Rachel Weidensaul
G- # 13 – Meredith Starr
G- # 5 – Lara Dellegrotti

Scouting Report:

The Golden Bears should have no trouble in this game, but that does not mean Bloomsburg is short on players who can help them to an upset. In the first meeting, center Colleen Kegerreis played the entire game, scoring a team-high 16 points on 8-of-13 shooting. Kegerreis the team’s clear best player and is one rebound per game short of averaging a double double on the season. KU will be looking to it’s inside game to try and shut her down, with Mercedes Van Wagner and Claire Sitarz likely to see much of the time defending her. Lauren Healy scored just 5 points in that first game, but averages just over 11 points per game this season.

Coach Malouf is likely to continue her trend of going with the hot hands and running a pass first offense. KU has been playing better on the offensive end lately and much of that credit goes to an improved passing game. The Golden Bears lead the PSAC in assists in conference play and that has been a product off them focusing on passing the ball all over the court until someone has a clear lane to the net. That is likely to continue on Saturday, as KU will be looking to build some offensive momentum for a tough road game against Millersville next Wednesday.

The Golden Bears cannot afford to lay back and let the Huskies dictate this game. KU needs to come out strong and put this game out of reach as soon as possible to give BU no hope for an upset. If the Huskies build some confidence in the first half, there is no reason to believe they can pull off the win in the second half.

Prediction:

Expect KU to come out and play well. The players know they need to win this game to keep their playoff hopes alive and they won’t allow a letdown. Coming off a throttling of Mansfield, the Golden Bears will have a big first half before coasting through the second frame to back to back PSAC East wins.

If Weidensaul plays well early, look for her to score near 20 points again. If not, expect Melissa McQuade and Mercedes Van Wagner to carry the scoring load for KU.

Bloomsburg 55
Kutztown 70