MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The weather warmed up for the Ursinus College softball team and so did the bats as the Bears took a pair of games from two Penn State branch campuses on Tuesday afternoon at the Snowbird Softball Classic.

In the opener, the Bears battled back from an early deficit to defeat PSU-Hazleton, 8-4, then needed only five innings to dispatch PSU-Harrisburg, 15-0.

After spotting PSU-Hazleton a 4-0 first inning lead, Ursinus responded with one in the bottom of the third as senior catcher Emelie McFarland (Sykesville, Md./Century) hit a two-out single to center scoring senior outfielder Amy Gentile (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley).

The Bears added one more in the bottom of the fourth as sophomore left fielder Ellen Goldstein (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) scored on a throwing error with two outs. 

The Bears took control of the game in the bottom of the sixth scoring six runs. McFarland had a two-run double as the Bears batted around. Gentile, senior first baseman Allison Pfrommer (Franklinville, N.J./Delsea Regional) and freshman infielder Zoe Heinke (Stewartsville, N.J./Phillipsburg)  also had RBI hits in the inning.

Senior pitcher Kelly Schymanski (Pottstown, Pa./Pottstown) allowed just two hits after the first inning, improving to 1-1 on the season.She struck out six and walked four, allowing just four earned runs. 

McFarland finished 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Gentile was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. 

In game two, Ursinus scored in every inning en route to the win. Pfrommer was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI, including a two-run home run in the fifth. Schymanski went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and a two-run home run. Junior right fielder Caitlin Whelan (Stanhope, N.J./Pope John XXIII) had a two-run home run in the fourth as the Bears, while sophomore catcher Nikki Djambinov (Ventnor City, N.J./Atlantic City) had a two-run home run in the third. 

Senior shortstop Kelsey Coyne (Stowe, Pa./Pottsgrove) went 2-for-3 with two runs scored in the win.

The runs were more than enough for Heinke, as she allowed just three hits in five innings, while striking out six.