GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Senior Casey Murphy pitched a gem in the nightcap of the doubleheader to salvage a split against Gettysburg College in the Bears conference opener on Sunday.
 

After falling 8-5 in game one, Ursinus bounced back in game two with a decisive 13-1 victory for their first win at Kirchoff Field since April of 2019.

 
During game one, after Ursinus scored twice in the first, the Bullets used eight unanswered runs in route to the opening victory. The offense exploded for Ursinus game two as the Bears put an eight-spot on the scoreboard in the first inning providing all the runs needed as Murphy scattered just five hits, two walks, and two strikeouts over seven innings of work.

 
With the split, the Bears improved to 9-14 on the season and open Centennial Conference play with a 1-1 record, meanwhile the Bullets sit at 14-9 overall and 1-1 in conference action.  

 
Game One: Ursinus 5, Gettysburg 8

The Bears struck first in the opening frame after capitalizing on a Bullets defensive error sparking a two-out rally to give Ursinus an early two run advantage. Senior Solomon Griffith reached first on an error from Gettysburg's third baseman and scored during the next at-bat as Sophomore Peter Balos drove a double down the left field line. During the next at-bat, Balos advanced to third when senior Tom Snipes recorded an infield hit, and classmate Nick Diaz added an RBI after jumping on the first pitch of his at-bat for a single into left field. The Bullets quickly answered during their first chance at the plate recapturing a 3-2 lead behind two free passes and two base hits.
 

In the bottom of the second, junior left-handed pitcher T.J. Snyder worked out of a jam with two runners on, inducing a groundball out to end the frame. Each pitching staff cruised through the third inning after allowing a free pass they settled in and recorded groundouts to move into the middle innings.

 
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Gettysburg put runners on the corners with just one out and the middle of their lineup at the plate. Snyder tallied a strikeout against the Bullets No.2 hitter, but a two-out double from Andrew Kirby scored two runs and stretched the Bullets lead to three.

 
In the top of the fifth, the Bears nearly added a run as sophomore Jordan Williams tallied a one-out double to left field. He later advanced to third on a groundout but would be stranded in scoring position as a groundout ended the Bears threat. Gettysburg capitalized on the missed opportunity from the Bears as they tacked on three insurance runs in the bottom half of the frame to extend their lead to six. Sophomore Kieran Hollander relived Snyder at the start of the inning and the Bullets loaded the bases with no outs behind two free passes and a single. The Bullets added their three runs on a sacrifice fly, a sac bunt, and a Bears defensive error, before Hollander escaped the jam with a ground out and fly out.

 
The Bears offense responded in the top of the sixth inning scoring three runs off four hits to cut their deficit to 8-5. Griffith opened the frame with a leadoff double and traded places with senior Tom Snipes after a two-bagger to right center. Snipes advanced to third after Diaz collected his second base hit with a single into left field. During the next at-bat, sophomore Andrew Richter jumped on a 2-1 pitch scoring Snipes with a double into right center field. Sophomore Jakob Cantor loaded the bases after reaching first on a free pass leading to a Bullets pitching change. Gettysburg's pitcher tallied a strikeout for the second out, but a free pass to junior Will Kelley forced home a run. With two outs and the bases loaded, the Bullets escaped the jam with a strikeout and still hung onto an 8-5 lead.

 
Hollander cruised through the bottom of the sixth retiring the side in order behind back-to-back groundouts and a fly out to end the frame. He continued to keep the Bullets lineup off-balance retiring the side in order during the seventh inning and after allowing a base hit in the eighth, he bounced back with back-to-back outs to end the frame. The Bears brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the ninth after loading the bases but a flyout ended the contest and gave Gettysburg an 8-5 lead.

 
Hollander faced 18 total batters and scattered three earned runs, three hits, and two walks over four innings of work. Snyder was dealt the loss on the mound after pitching four innings and allowing five earned runs, five hits, and five walks. The Bears stranded nine runners on base including two opportunities with the bases loaded.  

 
Game Two: Ursinus 13, Gettysburg 1

Ursinus bounced back in game two opening with an eight spot on the scoreboard behind three hits, three walks, and four hit-by-pitches. Kelley led off the inning reaching base via a hit-by-pitch and advanced to third on a single from Griffith. Balos delivered an infield single to give Ursinus a one-run advantage and after two free passes Griffith extended the Bears lead to two. Richter reached base on a free pass allowing Balos to score, and sophomore Dylan Runsdorf tallied a single for another Bears run. Senior Thomas Pancheri, first-year Cameron Krugel, and Kelley each reached base on a hit-by-pitch or walk to add an RBI to their season totals. The Bears scored their final run of the inning as Griffith lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to score Pancheri.
 

Murphy allowed two of his five hits allowed in the opening frame but with just one out he settled in and recorded back-to-back fly outs to end the frame. He cruised through the Bullets lineup during their next three chances at the plate retiring nine of the next ten batters as the Bears still led 8-0 through four innings. In the top of the fifth inning after the first two batters were retired, the Bears added an insurance run when Griffith scored Krugel on an RBI double. In the bottom half of the frame, the Bullets put runners on the corners with one out, but Murphy used a shallow fly out and a strikeout swinging to end the Gettysburg rally. Ursinus stretched their lead to eleven during the sixth frame as Pancheri came through with a two-out double scoring Runsdorf and Cantor.

 
In the bottom of the seventh frame, Murphy retired the side in order as he finished his day allowing just five hits, fanning two batters, and recording his longest appearance on the mound this season. Senior Jared Minnichbach and sophomore Connor Bogansky closed out the final two frames on the mound to give Ursinus the 13-1 victory. At the plate, Griffith paced the Bears offense finishing 3-for-4 while Balos added two base hits, and Pancheri led the team with three runs batted in.

 
The Bears return to action on Tuesday as they host Centennial Conference foe Haverford for a 3:30pm start from Thomas Field.

 
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