2005 PSAC Baseball Championship

Shaner Sports Complex, Boalsburg, Pa.

May 9
Game 1
Shippensburg 9, West Chester 6
Game 2
California 6, Mansfield 5
Game 3
Kutztown 9, Clarion 2
Game 4
West Chester 9, Mansfield 7
Game 5
Shippensburg 9, Clarion 4
Game 6
Kutztown 7, California 4
 May 10
Game 7
Kutztown 11, Shippensburg 9
Game 8
West Chester 8, California 7
Game 9
West Chester 6, Shippensburg 5
 
May 11
Game 10
Kutztown 10, West Cester 2

BOALSBURG, PA - Kutztown University claimed the 2005 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championship (PSAC) with a 10-2 win over West Chester Wednesday afternoon at the Shaner Sports Complex.

Clay Kuklick was 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored to earn the tournament's most valuable player award. Kuklick was 8-for-15 in the tournament with six RBI and five runs scored. The catcher also did a masterful job catching KU's pitchers throughout the tournament.

Matt Keller pitched a complete game for the Golden Bears. He struck out three and scattered 12 West Chester hits over nine innings. Keller earned the save in Kutztown's two winners bracket games on Monday and Tuesday vs. California and Shippensburg. He is now 10-1 on the season, which is tied for third on KU's single-season win chart.

West Chester scored both of its runs in the first two innings. Mark Gilliford plated the first run of the game on an RBI single to score Joey Yeager. After Kutztown tied the score in the bottom half, the Golden Rams assumed the lead again, getting a pair of singles and scoring on a wild pitch. From that point on, it was all Kutztown.

Mike McCardell doubled in Kuklick in the first, and Gary Stricker scored on a double by Jeff Craig in the second to tie the score at 2-2. Kutztown took the lead for good in the fourth, when Josh Fink stole home on a double steal. Stricker, who stole second on the play, later scored on McCardell's RBI single.

Kuklick provided some insurance with a two-run double in the fifth, and KU broke it open with four in the eighth, including a three-run home run by Kyle Costello.

KU head coach Chris Blum earns his first PSAC title since taking over the reins in 2003. KU last won the title in 2002, under former head coach Matt Royer. It was Blum's 100th career win. With a 100-47 record, Blum reaches the century mark in 21 fewer games than Royer had.

The victory gives KU a 38-16 record, tying the school mark for wins in a season set in 2001. It also all but assures KU a spot in next week's NCAA Division II North Atlantic Regional at a site to be determined.

KU rapped out 12 hits in the game. Craig was 2-for-4, McCardell 2-for-4 with two RBI, and Stricker was 2-for-4 with three runs scored.