WESTMINSTER, Pa. – The Ursinus softball team used an offensive explosion in game one to split a doubleheader with McDaniel on Saturday afternoon as they opened Centennial Conference play.
 
 
The Bears took game one 11-6 before dropping game two 2-1.
 
 
In game one, junior Kayla Carr kept her hot streak going by ripping a two-run home run in the top of the first to centerfield to give Ursinus an early 2-0 lead. The Bears scratched out another run in the top of the first when sophomore Miranda McIlvaine drew a bases loaded walk with two outs to make it 3-0. McDaniel got two runs back with a two-run home run of their own in the bottom of the first and took the lead with a trio of runs with two outs in the bottom of the second to go up 5-3. However, Ursinus stormed ahead with eight runs in the top of the third off seven hits and three errors which saw 14 batters go to the plate. Junior Keelie Hancock led the inning off with a double and a single from junior Megan Mills two batters later brought her in. A single from senior Samantha Mallen loaded the bases with one out and first-year Anna Evanchik singled to tie the game at five. Carr drew a bases loaded walk to give Ursinus the lead and first-year Reagan Robinson singled in the next at-bat to extend the lead to 7-5. A sacrifice fly from senior Stephanie Wichman put Ursinus up 8-5 and Hancock singled in the ninth run from a single in her second at-bat of the inning. Senior Rachel Hartman reached on an error to keep the inning going and McIlvaine made the Green Terror pay with a two-run single in the ensuing at-bat to make it 11-5. McDaniel got a run back after hitting a triple followed by a double in the bottom of the third but did not advance a runner past second until the seventh inning after the sixth run scored. Junior Christa Andrusiewicz worked out of a second and third base jam by forcing a foul out to end the game.
 
 
In game two, the first three innings went scoreless before the Bears got onto the board in the top of the fourth when Hancock doubled in Carr, who led the inning off with a walk. The lead did not last, however, as McDaniel got a walk and double to lead off the bottom of the fourth to tie the game. McDaniel took the lead for good on an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth and retired the Bears in order in the 6th and 7th innings.
 
 
Carr went 2-for-3 with two RBI's and two runs scored to complete a sizzling week where she went 11-of-21 (.524) from the plate with 13 RBI's, two home runs, four doubles, and eight runs scored. Mallen combined to go 4-for-8 from the plate with a run scored and a stolen base in the doubleheader and Hancock combined to go 5-for-8 with 2 RBI's and two runs scored. Evanchik went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a RBI in game one and McIlvaine drove in three RBI's in game one.
 
 
The Bears return to action on Tuesday, April 1st as they will travel to face Haverford for a doubleheader starting at 3:00 p.m.