Box Score by Cory Guinn
WILSON, N.C. – The Barton College baseball team suffered its third consecutive loss, falling 4-3 to Kutztown University on Wednesday afternoon at Nixon Field.
Barton (14-6) and Kutztown (9-7) were scoreless through the first three innings of play as starters Ryan Pifer and Eric Lane allowed just four combined hits.
The Bears got on the scoreboard first in the fourth inning, scoring two runs on two hits and taking advantage on a Barton fielding error before the Bulldogs responded with a run of their own in the bottom half. Junior Shawn Montren drove in a run from third with a sacrifice fly to right field to make the Kutztown lead 2-1.
Montren tied the game at 2-2 with an RBI single in the sixth inning, scoring freshman Charlie Vaughan from second. Following a walk to redshirt-junior Chris Davis, junior Jacob Willis reached first on a throwing error which also allowed Montren to score and give Barton a 3-2 lead.
However, Kutztown was able to put its first two batters of the seventh inning on before moving each other one base with a sacrifice fly. Bo Rottett then put the ball in play, scoring a runner from third, while an erro allowed a second run to come across and put the Bears ahead 4-3.
Just two Barton hitters reached base in the final three innings as Kutztown's Anthony DeVito earned his first save of the season with two scoreless innings of relief.
Pifer allowed just two runs (one earned) on five hits over five innings in his first career start. Senior Ricky Jernigan (1-1) took the loss after allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits with two strikeouts. Freshman Blake Helms pitched the final 2.2 innings, striking out three batters without allowing a hit.
Junior Calvin Hawke was 2-for-3 at the plate, while Montren finished 1-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI. Willis, Vaughan and sophomore Hunter Pearre were the only other Bulldogs to record a hit in the contest.
Barton will have a day off tomorrow before beginning a three-game series with Conference Carolinas foe Emmanuel College. The Bulldogs and Lions kick off the weekend with a single game on Friday, March. 11 with first pitch scheduled for 2:30 p.m. in Wilson.
