COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus softball team opened its 2023 season with a season-opening sweep over Stevens on Sunday afternoon at Snell Softball Field. The Bears won a wild game one 13-8 before edging the Ducks 5-4 in game two.
 
 
The Bears did not trail at any point between the two games against the two-time defending MAC Freedom Champions and recorded 25 combined hits on the day. The wins were also the first for Taylor Gardner in her head coaching career.
 
 
GAME ONE
Following each team going in order during the first inning, the Ducks loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the second before a groundout ended the frame. The Bears opened the bottom half of the inning with a pair of singles but were unable to drive any of the runners across to keep the game scoreless. First-year Christa Andrusiewicz continued to shut down the Ducks in the next half inning and the Bears came alive by scoring six runs on five hits to go up 6-0. Ursinus loaded the bases with no outs and senior Amanda Panati cleared the bases with an opposite field double to right to give the Bears their initial lead. First-year catcher Kayla Carr followed one batter later with her first collegiate home run that initially bounced off the top of the fence and over to make it 5-0. The Bears capped their big inning with a final run with two outs after sophomore Stephanie Wichman doubled home senior Jordan Moore from first base.
 
 
Junior Madison Wilson led off the bottom of the fourth with a single and advanced to third after taking an advantage of a wild pitch plus a groundout. Wilson then darted home to score on a successful Panati stolen base attempt to make it 7-0. The Bears extended their advantage to 8-0 after senior Allyson Meakim drove home Panati with a two-out single through the left side. Down to their last three outs before a game-ending run rule would enact, the Ducks stunned the Bears by scoring seven runs on six hits in the top of the fifth to make it an 8-7 game. Stevens initially loaded the bases with no outs and brought the first two runs around with a single. Two more runs then came around to score on a double before an out was even recorded in the fifth. The Ducks then added their final three runs with two outs off a pair of singles. Ursinus took advantage of an outfield error in the bottom half of the fifth to get some momentum back to go up 9-7. Stevens responded with a run of their own off a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth to make it 9-8. However, it was the Bears that ultimately laid the knockout punch with four runs in the bottom of the sixth to go up 12-8. Three-straight singles loaded the bases with one out and Ursinus pushed its first run across on a wild pitch.  Wilson snuck a single through the right side to score two more and sophomore Samantha Mallen knocked in the final run with a sacrifice fly. Stevens put its first two runners on to start the seventh before the Bears ended the game by recording three-straight outs.
 
GAME TWO
The Bears retired the Ducks to start in the top of the first and started fast with the bats by scoring four runs in the bottom of the first. Ursinus put runners on first and second with one out before Meakim laced a single down the left field line to give the Bears their initial lead. Junior Maddie Solow followed by blasting a three-run home run to left field to make it 4-0. Ursinus was held off the board after loading the bases in the bottom of the second inning and the Ducks began to rally in the top of the fourth. Stevens put its first two runners on base before a double to right center made it a 4-1 game. A single in the next at-bat made it 4-2, but a strong relay throw to home from Mallen prevented a second run from scoring. The throw loomed large as the Ducks cut the lead to 4-3 with a two-out single. Mallen continued to make an impact as she started the bottom of the fourth off with a double and came around to score on a single from Panati to put the Bears up 5-3. Stevens responded again with a two-out double in the top of the fifth to make it 5-4 before Wichman prevented further damage by getting a groundout in the next at-bat. Wichman locked up the sweep for the Bears after working around two-out singles in each of the next two innings and earned a save in the process.
 
 
Along with her three innings of relief in game two, Wichman went a combined 4-of-7 from the plate, with two being of the hits being doubles, and drove in a run for the Bears. Panati went 2-of-6 from the dish and drove in four runs while scoring three and Solow went 3-of-7 between the two games while driving in three runs off her home run in game two. Wilson and Carr each posted three hits and two RBIs on the day as well.
 
 
Andrusiewicz earned her first collegiate win in game one after allowing four earned runs on seven hits in four innings while striking out three batters. Senior Alexis Miller tossed the final three innings of game one to earn the save and the first four innings of game two to get the win. Miller allowed three runs on five hits in game two. Wichman went three innings in game two and allowed just one earned run on four hits and struck out one batter.
 
 
The Bears return to action on Sunday, March 5th as they will open their spring break trip to Myrtle Beach against Lancaster Bible at 9:00 a.m.