Brian Smith: Kutztown University softball rallies for extra-inning win in NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional
May 13—Kutztown University rallied to beat West Virginia Wesleyan 4-3 in eight innings Friday in a winners bracket softball game of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional at North Campus Field.
The top-seeded and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champion Golden Bears (39-13) trailed 3-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth before coming back with two runs in the third and one in the sixth to force extra innings.
In the bottom of the eighth, Brianna Stocklin led off with a single and advanced to third on a single by Hannah Auvil.
Kate Ostaszewski then hit a long fly ball to left that was caught in foul territory, allowing Stocklin to tag up and score the winning run.
Kutztown will play in the winners bracket final Saturday at 1 p.m., needing one win to advance out of the four-team pod to next weekend's NCAA Super Regionals.
Ostaszewski also knocked in the tying run with a single in the sixth following a two-out double by Auvil.
Auvil hit a two-run home run in the fourth that began KU's comeback.
Fifth-seeded West Virginia Wesleyan (37-17-1) took a 3-0 lead in the third on a three-run double by Taylor Swartz. The Bobcats had loaded the bases on walks, the first two coming before the game was delayed by rain for 1:32.
Auvil went 3-for-4 with a double, a homer, two runs and two RBIs, and Stocklin was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs.
KU pitcher Sarah Harvey allowed three runs on five hits and three walks in eight innings. She struck out six.
