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Kutztown 3, Shepherd 2 (HTML Box Score)
 
Millersville 3, Kutztown 1 (HTML Box Score)
 
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Game 1 Videos: Game-Tying Run | Walk-Off Walk

WEST LAWN, Pa. – Tied 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Brady McNab (Hatboro, PA/Archbishop Wood (Frederick CC)) of the Kutztown University baseball team took a full-count walk with the bases loaded to bring in the game-winning run for a 3-2 victory over Shepherd University in a win-or-go-home matchup on Day 3 of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regionals from Owl's Field on Saturday. After a short break, KU took the field again in another elimination game, ultimately falling to top-seeded Millersville University, 3-1, to end the Golden Bears 2014 cinderella season.
 
In the first matchup, Kutztown (32-21) won its seventh-consecutive game in a win-or-go-home situation this postseason, coming back from a 2-1 deficit against the second-seeded Shepherd Rams (39-14). KU moved on to face Millersville (39-15) for the second time in this tournament, but the Marauders relief pitching was too much to handle yet again.
 
Against Shepherd, Brandon Cholish (Peckville, PA/Valley View (Lackawanna)) led the charge in the bottom of the ninth with a single through the left side. Cholish was tagged at second as Thomas Romano (Phoenixville, PA/Phoenixville) reached first on a fielder's choice. Clay Sebesky (Doylestown, PA/Central Bucks East) took a pitch to the back to move Romano into scoring position, and John Dockins (Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson (Frederick CC)) singled to left field to load the bases. McNab, seeing his first action of the game, remained patient through a full count, forcing the fourth and final ball to advance the runners and bring Romano home for the game-winning run in walk-off fashion.
 
The Golden Bears got on the board first in the bottom of the third. Senior Kyle Stoudt (Mertztown, PA/Brandywine Heights) smashed a double out to deep right-center; bringing Travis Kreitz (Gilbertsville, PA/Boyertown) all the way around from first base for the opening score.
 
The Rams tallied the next two runs, scoring on a sacrifice fly in the fourth and a rip down the left field line in the sixth that went for two bases. In the top of the eighth, the Rams placed a man on first with a shot out to center field by Kyle Porter, enticing Head Coach Chris Blum to call in Matt Swarmer (Mohnton, PA/Governor Mifflin) from the bullpen. Swarmer forced two immediate fly outs, and then Porter took off for second base. Sebesky was ready on his toes at catcher, firing a rocket to Stoudt at second to catch Porter, ending the inning and swinging the momentum in favor of the Maroon and Gold.
 
In the bottom of the eighth and searching to get something going on offense, Kreitz led off with another clutch single, ultimately being replaced by Ricky Gorrell (Royersford, PA/Spring-Ford) as the base runner. Brandon Martinez (Lansdale, PA/North Penn) moved Gorrell into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt and Kyle Stoudt (Mertztown, PA/Brandywine Heights) took first after a walk. The duo advanced to second and third on a passed ball. With Carson Baker (Lehman, PA/Lake-Lehman (Lackawanna)) at the plate, the Rams pitcher sent a ball sailing over the catcher, allowing Gorrell to plate the game-tying run.
 
Freshman Pat Flynn (Pottstown, PA/West-Mont Christian Academy) got his sixth start of the season on the mound for the Golden Bears, putting in seven innings of work with three strikeouts. The rookie pitcher limited the Rams to two earned runs on five hits, along with three walks. Swarmer earned his third win this season in two innings on the mound, giving up one hit.
 
With both of Kutztown's senior aces being used in the opening two games of the tournament, KU went with a freshman starter for the second consecutive game against Millersville. Mike Kammerer (Allentown, PA/Allentown Central Catholic) got the call to the mound, pitching the first 7.1 innings with three runs against.
 
The Marauders took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the third that could have potentially amounted into more if it were not for Dockins turning a crucial double play to end the inning.
 
The Maroon and Gold countered in the bottom half, beginning with Derian Sarlat (Reading, PA/Exeter Township) hitting a lead-off single to left field. Dockins put down a solid bunt to the pitcher to reach first and advance Sarlat. Millersville attempted to pick off Sarlat at second, but missed the short stop, progressing each runner one base. Gorrell played the smart move by hitting a routine grounder to the opposite field, sacrificing himself but allowing Sarlat to score easily from third to put KU on the board.
 
Kutztown had a solid chance to tie it up in the fourth, but MU worked itself out of a jam with two runners in scoring position. After a three up, three down fifth inning, KU forced another jam in the sixth. Stoudt led off with a double that tip-toed all the way down the right-field line. Cholish advanced Stoudt to third and reached first on a successful bunt, eventually stealing second to put both Golden Bears in scoring position.  However, 'Ville starting pitcher Brandon Miller retired three-straight batters before KU could plate the tying run.
 
The Golden Bears continued to pour it on in the seventh, benefitting off a fresh Marauder on the mound. Matt Binder commenced the inning by walking the first two KU batters before getting pulled for star closer Adam Zipko. Zipko walked his first at-bat as well to load the bases, but turned the next three Kutztown batters with two strikeouts and a ground out to retire the side and leave three runners stranded.
 
Millersville kicked off the eighth inning with a monster shot by Dan Stotzfus over Martinez's head in center field, good for two bases. Kurt Seider put down a bunt, forcing the catcher to overthrow first base and allow MU to round the bases for its third and final run of the game. Swarmer was called in from the pen with one out, retiring the side with two-straight strikeouts.
 
In a last-ditch effort to save the season in the bottom of the ninth, KU worked two runners onto base, but could not exploit Zipko to bring in the tying runs.

Stoudt's two doubles on the day were the only extra-base hits for the Golden Bears. Cholish went an impressive 3-for-4 in the opener and added another two hits against Millersville. Martinez's two-hit performance against MU was the final multi-hit game recorded for Kutztown.
 
Thought to be out of the postseason picture in the final few weeks of the regular season, Kutztown put together quite the rallying effort to extend its Cinderella run. Clinching the final spot in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) postseason tournament, KU fought its way as the underdog in every game until it came out as the conference champions. The Golden Bears were ranked last again coming into the Atlantic Regional Tournament, but ousted half the field to impressively stand among the final three teams remaining.