AUBURNDALE, FL. – The Ursinus baseball team returned to the diamond on Tuesday but couldn't quite complete the sweep as the Bears split a two-game series with Vassar College.


 
In the first game, Ursinus (5-7) used a four run sixth inning to propel them to a 7-4 victory, but in the second tilt the Brewers completed a comeback for a 6-4 victory over nine innings of play. Vassar College (2-2) trailed 4-3 entering their final at bat before forcing extra innings and winning in the ninth inning.
 

Game One – Ursinus 7, Vassar College 4

Vassar College struck first in the top half of the first inning scoring two runs behind two hits and one Bears defensive miscue. The Brewers netted their two runs off a wild pitch and two-out single from Daniel Laderman. In the bottom half of the frame, Ursinus junior leadoff outfielder Will Kelley reached base and advanced to third, but a fly out ended the Bears threat.


 
Sophomore pitcher Mike Scheller bounced back in the second inning retiring the Brewers lineup in order behind a strikeout, ground out, and lineout. Vassar's pitcher Ryan Harris would do the same to the Bears lineup as he strikeout the first two batters to the plate.


 
In the third inning, Scheller bounced back from a two-out double and sent the Bears offense back up to the plate recording a fly out to end the inning. The Bears offense tied the contest at two a piece in their half of the third inning as senior Tom Snipes delivered a two out single scoring two runners. After a groundout to open the frame, sophomore Keegan Stem started the rally with a one-out walk and would advance to second on a single from junior Will Kelley. After a sacrifice bunt from first-year Kyle Rosenfeld, Solomon Griffith was intentionally walked to load the bases. Snipes tied the contest at two a piece during the next at-bat with the base knock into left field, the Bears rally ended as he was thrown out trying to swipe second base.


 
Each pitching staff settled in throughout the fourth inning as neither team would collect a baserunner behind six consecutive outs. In the fifth, the Brewers put runners on the corners with two-outs, but Scheller kept the score tied as a fly out to right field ended the threat. Ursinus regained the lead in their half of the frame, as with two outs Stem came across to score on a wild pitch to give the Bears a 3-2 lead.


 
Vassar regained the lead in the sixth inning with a two-run homerun from Ty Murray over the left field fence gave the Brewers a 4-3 advantage. Scheller bounced back from the long ball by retiring the next two batters to end the frame. Ursinus responded in the bottom half of the sixth, scoring four runs behind just one base hit, two walks, and two hit-by-pitches. The Bears recaptured a 5-4 lead as both of the first two runs were scored on wild pitches and added some insurance as sophomore Andrew Richter collected an RBI groundout.


 
Senior David Kratz relived Scheller out of the bullpen and collected his second save of the season with a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh. Kratz recorded the first out via a line out and back-to-back ground outs ended the contest with Ursinus winning 7-4.


 
Game Two – Ursinus 6, Vassar 4

The Brewers came close to scoring in the top half of the first inning but with one out and runners on the corners, sophomore pitcher Justin Simone ended the threat with a 6-4-3 double play.



Vassar's pitcher Addison Lee and Simone combined to retire the next nine batters before the Brewers grabbed the first lead of the game in the third inning with a two-run homerun from Andrew Kanellis. Vassar would load the bases with two outs as three straight batters reached first base, but Simone and the Bears escaped any more damage as a flyout ended the inning.


 
The Bears answered in their half of the third inning scoring three runs from four hits and two defensive errors. Sophomore Andrew Richter led off the inning with a base on balls and would advance to second as first-year George Nestor singled into left field. After a strikeout, each man moved up 90ft as a balk was called on the Brewers pitcher. Junior Will Kelley tallied an RBI as Richter scored from third on an error from Vassar's shortstop. The Bears tied the game at two a piece during the next at-bat as sophomore Cory Burns collected a single and an RBI allowing Nestor to come across to score. Ursinus regained the lead as Solomon Griffith slashed a single into centerfield allowing Kelley to come around and score. Back-to-back strikeouts ended the Bears rally with the bases loaded.


 
Junior lefty Ayden Hughes relieved Simone on the mound for Ursinus in the fourth inning and after a lead-off he retired the next three batters to bring Ursinus back up to the plate. In their half of the frame, the Bears received a two-out walk from Keegan Stem, but a pick-off move ended the frame. Hughes quickly moved through the middle of the lineup for the Brewers in the fifth as he retired the side in order behind a fly out, strikeout, and lineout.


 
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Kelley led off for Ursinus and delivered a double down the left field line and would advance into third base via a wild pitch. After a pop up and hit-by-pitch, Kelley added another run onto the scoresheet as senior Tom Snipes lifted a sacrifice fly to left field. The Brewers answered in their half of the sixth inning, cutting the deficit to one as a one-out sacrifice fly scored a run from third.


 
In the bottom half of the sixth, Pat Kerrigan came out of the bullpen in relief for Vassar and retired the Bears in order behind two strikeouts. Junior Jared Minnichbach relieved Hughes on the mound for Ursinus in the seventh. After a lead-off single and a hit-by-pitch allowed the Brewers to put the tying run into scoring position, a passed ball with two outs would allow the visitors to tie the game at four a piece. The Bears put two runners on in the seventh but a fly out and strikeout ended the rally for Ursinus as we headed to extra innings.


 
In the bottom of the eighth, Ursinus nearly won the game as with one out Minnichbach was thrown out trying to score from third on a ground ball to the third basemen. In the ninth, the Brewers regained the lead as a one-out two-run homerun gave the visitors a 6-4 lead. In their final chance at the plate, Ursinus got the tying run to the plate, but a strikeout ended the contest for the Bears.


 
At the plate, Kelley, Burns, Griffith, and Snipes each finished with a base hit and an RBI, while on the mound Hughes led the Bears by scattering two hits and an earned run over three innings of work.


 
The Bears will return to action on Thursday as they open with Penn State – Altoona at 9 a.m. and Saint Vincent College at 12:30 p.m.