COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – Trailing by one and down to their final out, the Ursinus College baseball team used a two-out two RBI single from first-year
Barritt Ross to defeat Rutgers-Camden University on Sunday afternoon from Thomas Field, 3-2.
Ross sat behind the count before fouling off three pitches and connecting on the eighth pitch with a line drive into left field to score two runs for the Bears. The Bears capitalized off a fielding error from the Scarlet Raptors before both runners advanced into scoring position via a wild pitch. For Ross he has hit safely in five of the last six games, while recording five RBIs over his last four contests for the Bears. Junior
Peter Balos paced the Bears lineup with a team-high two hits and finishing his day 2-for-4 at the plate.
Each pitching staff shined during the Sunday afternoon contest as they combined to just allow two earned runs, while striking out a total of 17 batters. For Ursinus, junior lefty
David Morgan was given the start and pitched four innings allowing two earned runs, six hits, and collecting one strikeout. Sophomore
Dan Bass replaced Morgan on the mound in the fifth frame and pitched five scoreless innings only allowing two hits and striking out nine batters.
Rutgers-Camden scored the opening run during their first chance at the plate as a two-out infield single gave the visitors an early 1-0 lead. With the bases loaded, Morgan escaped the jam by earning a groundout to strand three runners on base. After the Bears were retired in order, the Scarlet Raptors nearly struck again in the second inning as a single but runners on the corners with just one out. A stolen base allowed two runners to reach scoring position, but Morgan settled in by recording a pop out and fly out to end the frame.
The Scarlet Raptors increased their lead to 2-0 during the top of the third inning as a leadoff double put the visitors in business. After a single, Morgan traded a run for two outs as he rolled a 6-4-3 double play with Rutgers-Camden increasing their lead to two. The next batter reached base via an error but would be stranded at first base as Morgan fanned the next batter to end the third frame. In the bottom of the third inning, Ursinus cut their deficit to one run as a two-out rally allowed Ursinus to scratch a run across and make the score 2-1. After the first two batters were retired, senior Will Kelle and junior
Jakob Cantor each reached on defensive errors from the Scarlet Raptors. Junior
Andrew Richter stepped up and delivered an RBI single into right field, but was thrown out trying to advance into scoring position to keep the deficit at one.
Morgan closed out his outing in the fourth frame as he picked off a runner before tallying a flyout to end his fourth inning of the contest. Bass relieved Morgan in the fifth and allowed the first two runners to reach base via free passes. He would settle in as he struck out the next three batters to strand both runners on base and to keep the deficit at one. Through the next few innings Ursinus put runners in scoring position throughout the innings, but were unable to come up with the base hit needed as they trailed 2-1 entering the ninth inning.
In the top of the ninth inning, Rutgers-Camden put a runner on base via a walk, but Bass continued to keep the Scarlet Raptors lineup off balance as he picked up two strikeouts to bring the Bears back up to the plate. Sophomore
Shane Beaver led off the frame reaching base via a walk as first-year
Brandon Sullivan came into the contest to pinch run and reached scoring position by stealing second base. After a line out, junior
Jordan Williams put the go-ahead run on base by reaching via an error. Sullivan and Williams each advanced 90 feet closer as a wild pitch put both runners into scoring position. With two outs and two runners on, Ross earned a quality at-bat after loading the count and fouling off a few tough pitches before knocking a single into left field to plate the winning run.
The Bears return to action tomorrow as they travel to Camden, New Jersey for a rematch against the Scarlet Raptors starting at 3:30 p.m.
