Donat’s legs, Calkins’ arm advance Kutztown in state playoffs
LYON STATION >> When Ashley Donat gets on, good things happen for Kutztown’s offense.
In Monday’s PIAA Class AA playoff game against Philadelphia Academy Charter at Lyons Park, Donat reached base twice and came around to score both times.
Sparked by their leadoff hitter, the Cougars defeated Academy Charter, 5-0, and advanced to the state quarterfinals, where they will take on Holy Redeemer on Thursday.
“It’s really important to not only get it started, but just get around and hopefully score and get us ahead,” Donat said. “It’s definitely important for me to take the extra bases when I can because I know I have speed, I can get there and it just makes the team follow behind me.”
Donat went 2-for-3 and stole a base in Monday’s contest. In the third inning she put the Cougars up 2-0 after she went from first to third on a wild pitch and advanced home after Academy Charter catcher Liz Marynovitz tossed the ball into left field.
Her second run came in the fifth inning when she stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Third baseman Megan Parks, who went 1-for-2 with a walk, knocked her in.
“When she gets on, she makes things happen,” Kutztown coach Kevin Conrad said. “We’ve been working on that. … She sets the table for our middle girls, and there’s so much I can do when she gets on versus when she doesn’t get on. It changes the whole complexion of the game.”
Freshman pitcher Katie Calkins came into Monday’s game after pitching complete-game shutouts in her past two starts, including a no-hitter in Kutztown’s District 3-AA championship win last Thursday.
Conrad said Calkins didn’t have her best stuff against Academy Charter, but she was still able to keep the Chargers’ offense
quiet as she tossed her third consecutive complete-game shutout. The righthander gave up two hits, walked three and struck out five batters.
Freshman catcher Kayla Fritz was once again calling pitches for Calkins. The pair has combined for 27 scoreless inning in a row and hasn’t allowed a run since May 26.
“They just continue to keep working really well with each other,” Conrad said. “Katie didn’t throw her best game today. She fell behind a little bit, but Kayla called a timeout a few times and went out there.”
Kutztown put the game away in bottom of the sixth inning when they added two runs to their 3-0 lead.
Senior left field Maria Meigio started the inning with a single to left field. Second baseman Kylie Balthaser bunted her over to second. After right fielder Jillian Siefert flew out for the second out of the inning, pinch hitter Jordan Dunn came through with an infield single.
Fritz, who went 1-for-2 with a runs scored, drove in Dunn and Meigio with a two-run single up the middle.
“I think we had some key hits tonight, moving the players around,” Meigio said. “And I think that’s what won us the game today.”
Last year’s second round exit in the state playoffs is the farthest Meigio and the rest of the seniors have advanced in their time at Kutztown.
A win against Holy Redeemer on Thursday would change that.
“I think our momentum is definitely good and it will lead us through a couple more state games,” Meigio said. “The whole team is definitely ready to go to the state championship, so that’s our goal.”
After a 3-3 start to their season, the Cougars have now when 15 of their last 18 games, including four wins in a row.
“We’re playing good ball right now,” Conrad said. “We had some issues earlier in the year, and we’ve resolved those. The girls are playing with a lot of confidence.”
NOTES >> Shortstop Courtney Stump went 1-for-3 with a first-inning double for Kutztown. … Kutztown made one error in the contest, a dropped pop-up by Calkins. The Cougars haven’t had more than one error in any of their playoff games.
