KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Ursinus softball team swept its way through its fourth day on their Florida Spring Break Trip at the Fortune Road Athletic Complex.
The Bears earned a pair of wins over teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season as they downed Penn State Berks 7-3 in the first game before rallying to defeat Simmons, 5-3. Ursinus improved to 4-5 overall while the Nittany Lions fell to 2-5 and the Sharks at 3-2.
Ursinus 7, Penn State Berks 3
The Bears struck for two runs in the top of the first to gain the early advantage. Junior
Samantha Mallen led the game off with a walk and stolen base before coming around to score one at bat later following an errant throw to first. Sophomore
Kayla Carr roped a single to bring home senior
Maddie Solow from second base to put the Bears up 2-0. The Nittany Lions countered with two runs in the bottom half of the first to level the score. A hit by pitch and walk put runners on first and second before a throwing error at first scored the first run. Berks got its second run from a sacrifice fly a batter later but were unable to get more despite getting runners on second and third. The Nittany Lions took its first lead of the game on a single before a double play with the bases loaded prevented more potential runs from scoring. Ursinus had runners on second and third with one out in the top of the third and came away emptyhanded but converted for two runs one inning later to go up 4-3. Senior
Sarah DiLello singled and stole a base before coming all the way from second on a bunt single from Mallen to tie the game at three. Mallen then scored from second on a groundout from Solow in the next-at bat to put the Bears in front. Ursinus pulled away in the top of the sixth as they scored three runs off four hits to go up 7-3. Sophomore
Megan Mills singled and stole second before coming home to score on a single from Mallen. Carr delivered with a two-run double to right center with two outs to complete the scoring. Sophomore
Christa Andrusiewicz pitched the final three scoreless innings to close out the game and earn the save.
Ursinus 5, Simmons 3
Following a scoreless first, the Sharks got on the board first with a two-run two out double after taking advantage of a fielding error at third that kept the inning alive. The Bears got a run back in the bottom half of the inning on a two-out single from Mallen. Junior
Rachel Hartman doubled with one out and advanced to third on a passed ball. After Mills walked and stole second to keep the inning going, Mallen delivered to make it a 2-1 game. Ursinus rallied again with two outs in the bottom of the third that tied the game at two following doubles from Wichman and senior
Madison Wilson. The Sharks took the lead back at 3-2 at the top of the fourth with a two-out double to only be countered by Ursinus in the bottom half with two runs which put the Bears in front. Ursinus loaded the bases with two outs and Wichman roped a single to left center to give the Bears the lead for good. Mallen helped add an insurance run for the Bears in the bottom of the sixth after legging out a bunt single, stealing two bases, and scoring on a groundout from Solow. Ursinus held Simmons to just one hit in the last three innings after another solid outing from Andrusiewicz and first-year
Miranda McIlvaine closing things out with two scoreless frames.
Andrusiewicz pitched a combined nine innings and allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits with three strikeouts. Mallen had a big day by going a combined 5-of-10 from the plate with five runs scored, three RBI's, and five stolen bases. She now sits three hits away from the 100-career hit mark. Carr went 3-of-4 at the plate against Berks with three RBI's and Wichman went 2-of-4 with the decisive two run single against Simmons. Hartman went 2-of-3 with a run scored in the win over the Sharks.
The Bears return to action on Friday, March 8th as they will close out their spring break trip with three games in Clermont, Fla. against Marian College at 9:00 a.m.,followed by #7 Rowan at 11:15 a.m., and Plymouth State at 5:00 p.m. in a make-up game.
