Kutztown has one loss

A legendary coach somewhere once said, “to beat the best, you got to play the best.”


If that’s the case, it might be the motto tomorrow for the Columbia girls’ softball team in their District Three Class AA quarter-final game with Kutztown at Muhlenberg High School at 6:30 p.m.

The Cougars are 18-2 and outscored the opposition 205-29 this season. They were 12-1 in Division IV of the Berks County League. Their two losses were a league game to Brandywine Heights (5-0) and a Berks County League playoff game to Daniel Boon e, 9-1.

That’s 14 of the 29 runs they gave up this year. Six others were to Tulpehocken in a 16-6 win and one was in a 16-1 win over Central Catholic. The 29 runs given up were the third lowest in the Berks County League behind Brandywine (13) and Daniel Boone (26). Brandywine is the top seed in the Class AA playoffs.

Columbia beat both of those teams and they are the only two common opponents.

Kutztown, coached by Dick Angstadt, who is in his fifth year, won eight of its 13 league games by shutout and in a pre-season preview of Division IV in the Berks League, Kutztown was described “as the prohibitive favorite in a weak division.”

The Cougars also scored a 12-0 win over Tulpehocken and 15-0 over Central Catholic.

Senior Megan Greiss, a returning All-Berks performer, is the team’s top pitcher with an 8-1 record. When not pitching, she also plays third base. The other pitcher/third baseman is Karly Billig.

Other top players are returning all-division performers Nikki Wearnecht (2B) and outfielders Monique Megio and Kelly Peter. Other players of note are Cyleigh Mertz, Janelle Geist, Emily Bard and Tasha Steltz.

The Cougars won five of their first six games by shutout and 12 games by the 10-run mercy rule.

Here are the directions from the District Three website to Muhlenberg:


MUHLENBERG HIGH SCHOOL: Route 222 toward Reading following signs for Route 12 East (Pricetown). Get on Route 12 East toward Pricetown. Take the 5th St. Highway Exit (Rt. 222 Business). Continue on the 5th St. Highway passing through 7 stop lights. Turn right onto Bellevue Ave. (Sheetz gas station on the right). Continue to the light and make a left onto Kutztown Road. Park in the CE Cole ES Parking lot to access the softball field.

NO PARKING will be available in the middle school this year.