Reading Eagle: Kutztown rallies to beat Newport in District 3 Class 2A baseball quarterfinal

May 21—Kole Schuler singled in the go-ahead run in a three-run fifth inning, sending fourth-seeded Kutztown to a 5-4 win over fifth-seeded Newport in a District 3 Class 2A quarterfinal Saturday at Kutztown Community Park.

The Cougars (16-7) overcame three errors to advance to a semifinal at top-seeded Camp Hill (16-5) Monday at 4:30.

"We didn't make it easy on ourselves," Kutztown coach Tim Mertz said. "We have to throw and catch better."

Newport (12-9) scored two runs in the fifth and took a 4-2 lead with the help of an RBI double by Andrew Bates.

Dalton Furst singled in Kutztown's fifth and Ian Fenerty doubled for the second time. With two outs, Nick Hugo singled up the middle to knock in two runs and tie it. Dominick Pizzelanti was hit by a pitch before Schuler's single up the middle put the Cougars ahead for good.

Furst pitched effectively in the first five innings, allowing one earned run, one walk and five hits, striking out five and picking up the win. Grant Fitzgerald relieved him in the sixth, limited the Buffaloes to one walk in two innings and got the save. He threw only 26 pitches, so he can start against Camp Hill.

"Dalton pitched very well in the heat," Mertz said. "Grant came in and did a nice job."

Fenerty went 2-for-3 with an RBI and scored twice for Kutztown and Bryce Schafer had an RBI single.

Bates homered to center field in the first inning for Newport.