COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus Softball team opened its 2024 season with a doubleheader split against Catholic at the Snell Softball Field on a chilly Saturday afternoon in non-conference play.
 
 
Catholic won the first game in shutout fashion at 5-0 and the Bears bounced back behind a fast start to win game two 7-5. It was the second-straight season that the teams played to a split after their first ever meeting in Collegeville last season.
 
 
GAME 1: Catholic 5, Ursinus 0
 
The Cardinals loaded the bases with two outs in the first inning but Bears sophomore pitcher Christa Andrusiewicz got a force out at second on a ground ball to end the theat. However, Catholic used a two-out rally in the top of the second to score the first run of the game. A single and throwing error put runners on first and third before a steal of second allowed the runner on third to score during the next at-bat. Junior Samantha Mallen was the first Bear to get into scoring range during the bottom of the fourth following a walk and stolen base but was eventually stranded on third to end the inning. Catholic struck once more with two outs in the top of the fifth with a two-run double that made it 3-0. The Cardinals got two more runs in the top of the seventh to lock down the win in game one while holding the Bears to just three hits.
 
 
GAME 2: Ursinus 7, Catholic 5
 
The Bears got the bats going early in game two as they scored two runs off a two-run two-out single by sophomore catcher Kayla Carr to gain the early lead. Catholic rallied back to tie the game at two in the top of the third to only be countered in the bottom half of the inning with three runs by Ursinus that made it 5-2. Junior Stephanie Wichman started the inning with a single and pinch runner Jessica Pizzo came around to score on a throwing error from third base on a force out attempt. Carr knocked in the next run with a double and junior Rachel Hartman eventually pushed Carr across with a sacrifice fly. Senior Maddie Solow added to the Bears lead in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI double after Mallen led the inning off with a single. Carr brought home Solow with a sacrifice fly of her own that made it 7-2. The Cardinals began to rally in the top of the fifth as they put runners on first and third with one out. A wild pitch scored the first of two runs in the inning for Catholic before a bunt single knocked in the next to make it 7-4. With runners on first and second, first-year pitcher Miranda McIlvaine entered out of the bullpen for her collegiate debut and stranded the runners behind a lineout and pop out to shortstop. McIlvaine guided the Bears through the rest of the game and allowed just one run in the seventh to preserve the win.
 
 
Carr went 2-of-3 from the plate with four RBI's in game two and hit a double in each contest. Mallen went 3-of-4 with two runs scored while stealing three bases between the two games. Seniors Sara Sullivan and Sarah DiLello each went 2-of-4 in game two as well. Sophomore Riley Coneeny earned the win for the Bears in game two after allowing four earned runs on eight hits with a pair of strikeouts in 4.1 innings. McIlvaine went 2.2 innings while allowing two hits on one earned run. Catholic pitcher Aubrynn Arcement went the distance in game one with a three-hit complete game shutout before being touched up for five runs (three earned) off five hits in game two. Amanda Gomez went 5-of-7 between the two games.
 
 
The Bears return to action on Saturday, March 2nd as they will open their 2024 Spring Break Trip in Winter Haven, Florida against Benedictine at 9:00 a.m. and Dominican (Ill.) at 11:15 a.m.