HAVERFORD, Pa. – A grand slam from junior
Keelie Hancock in game two helped the Ursinus softball split with Haverford in their Centennial Conference doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon.
The Bears record now stands at 14-11 overall and 2-2 in Centennial Conference play while the Fords are 10-10 overall and 2-2 in conference play.
In game one, the teams combined for one hit in the first three innings before the Bears pulled ahead 2-0 in the top of the fourth without getting a hit. First-year
Anna Evanchik and junior
Kayla Carr drew back-to-back hit by pitches and advanced bases on a groundout. A throwing error from shortstop to first base kept the inning alive and scored both runs. The Bears got their first hits of the game in the top of the fifth but stranded both runners on a force out that ended the inning. Haverford scored three runs on five hits and one error in the bottom of the sixth to go up 3-2 and would hold on from there. The Fords decisive hit came on a single with runners on first and second with two outs.
Senior
Samantha Mallen helped create the Bears first run of the game in the top of the first to give Ursinus the early advantage. She singled to lead off the game and stole second before a pair of groundouts allowed her to come around and score. The Fords tied the game at one with a two-out double in the bottom of the third inning after an error initially put the runner on base to start the inning. First-year pitcher
Lucy Wolf escaped a pair of jams in the fourth and fifth innings that set the stage for Hancock's heroics in the top of the sixth. Ursinus loaded the bases with no outs and Hancock delivered the grand slam to left field two batters later, her first home run as a Bear, to put Ursinus in front 5-1. Senior
Stephanie Wichman relived Wolf in the bottom of the sixth and retired the final five batters of the game to preserve the win.
Mallen went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and a run scored in game two and first-year
Reagan Robinson went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Hancock drove him the four runs with her grand slam and sophomore
Miranda McIlvaine went 2-for-3 in game one. Wolf earned the win in game two by allowing one unearned run on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
The Bears return to action on Saturday, April 5th as they will host Gettysburg starting at 1:00 p.m.
