COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus baseball team exploded for 21 hits en route to a 24-2 victory over the University of Valley Forge on Thursday afternoon at Thomas Field.


With the win, Ursinus improves to 19-18 on the season, while the Patriots fall to 11-26 overall. Junior outfielder Mitchell Garber paced the Bears' offense, finishing 4-for-5 with four runs scored and an RBI. Seniors Jude Gilhool and Jakob Cantor each added three hits, while first-year Matthew Callahan tallied a career-high five RBIs. Seniors Cory Burns and Dylan Runsdorf combined for six RBIs and three hits, and sophomore Brandon Sullivan extended his on-base streak to 40 games.


In the top of the first, freshman Zach Cherrup made his first career start and worked around two hits by recording a pair of strikeouts. Ursinus answered in the bottom half of the inning, scoring two runs off three hits to take an early lead. Sullivan led off with a walk and stole second for his 40th stolen base of the season. Garber then jumped on a fastball, delivering a triple to right-center to score the game's first run. After a sacrifice fly by senior Andrew Richter, Gilhool and Cantor each recorded base hits but were left stranded.


Sophomore Jack Garrity relieved Cherrup in the second inning and allowed one run but stranded two runners to keep Ursinus ahead 2-1. In the third, first-year pitcher Grayson Bravo made his sixth appearance of the season and delivered a clean inning, highlighted by a 4-6 double play that stranded a runner in scoring position. The Bears responded by plating four runs in the bottom of the third to extend their lead to 6-1. After two quick outs, Gilhool and Cantor walked, and a bunt single by first-year Devin Fogg loaded the bases. Callahan drew an RBI walk, and junior catcher George Nestor cleared the bases with a double to left field.


Ursinus collected five hits and scored six runs in the fourth inning to increase its lead to 12-1. Garber and Richter each recorded hits to lead off, and a walk by senior Peter Balos loaded the bases. Gilhool, Cantor and Callahan each notched hits to extend the lead to 11. In the fifth, sophomore Marco Maiuolo added to the advantage with a sacrifice fly, and junior Shane Beaver doubled down the left-field line to score another run.


The Bears would go on to score nine runs in the bottom of the sixth en route to the 24-2 victory. Burns tallied two base hits in the inning, including four RBIs, while Callahan, Runsdorf and first-year Xander Zwally also drove in runs.


Ursinus returns to action Friday, April 25, when it hosts Muhlenberg College. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.