Muhls stick it to Cougars, return to Berks semifinals (updated)

Kenay Rodriguez and hot-hitting Muhlenberg continued to bang away Thursday, collecting 13 hits in a 9-4 win over Kutztown in a Berks Baseball League quarterfinal at Owls Field.

The second-seeded Muhls (17-2), who batted .319 and averaged 7.2 runs during the regular season, scored three times in the second and three times in the third to take command against the seventh-seeded Cougars (13-6).

They advance to a semifinal Monday against third-seeded Exeter in the second game of a 4:15 doubleheader at FirstEnergy Stadium.

The Muhls beat Wyomissing 5-0 in the quarterfinals last season before being turned back by eventual champ Gov. Mifflin 5-4 in the semis.

Rodriguez, who batted .378 during the regular season, went 4-for-4, scored three times and drove in a run. Cameron Burr went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs. Luis Beato went 2-for-4 and collected the only extra-base hit, a double. Shane Rosenberry had two hits and three RBIs.

The Muhls have scored 24 runs over their last three games and have scored nine or more six times this season.

Brad Coley (3-0) went four innings to pick up the win, allowing two hits and a run. He struck out nine and walked six.

Kutztown ace Grant Fitzgerald (5-1), who entered with a 1.13 ERA, allowed 10 hits and eight runs, four earned, over four innings. The Cougars committed three errors.

The Muhls led 6-1 after the third inning and 9-1 after five.

Bryce Schafer had a double and drove in two runs for the Berks IV champion Cougars, who saw their five-game winning streak snapped.

Kutztown will open played in the District 3 Class 2A Tournament Friday, May 20, likely at home, against the No. 5 seed. The Cougars entered play Thursday unofficially ranked No. 4 in the power ratings. The cutoff for games to count in the power ratings is Wednesday, May 18; league playoff games do count in the power ratings.

Muhlenberg entered play Thursday ranked No. 1 in Class 5A. The Muhls will open district play Monday, May 23 at home.