LEXINGTON, S.C. – The Ursinus College baseball team swept a doubleheader, 12-8 and 5-2, against Johnson & Wales University on Saturday afternoon at Legends Field.
 
With the victories, Ursinus won its seventh straight contest and improved to 9-4 on the season, while the Wildcats fell to 2-9 overall. The long ball was pivotal in game one for Ursinus as sophomore Devin Fogg recorded his first career home run, a three-run inside-the-park homer in the first inning. Meanwhile, sophomore Isaac Gesford hit his second career homer, a grand slam in the seventh inning, to lead the Bears offense.
 
In game two, junior Brandon Sullivan finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while sophomore Chase Martin (1-0) and senior Max Shilstone highlighted the Bears pitching staff by combining for eight innings, scattering four hits, and allowing one earned run.

Ursinus 12, Johnson & Wales 8
 
The Bears offense came out firing to open game one, totaling five runs on two hits and a defensive miscue to grab an early lead over the Wildcats. Sophomore Matthew Callahan started the rally with a one-out walk before advancing to third on a single by classmate Luke Kopec. After a strikeout threatened the Bears rally, Gesford reached on an error, allowing Callahan and Kopec to score. After a walk with two outs, Fogg delivered an inside-the-park home run to extend the Bears lead to 5-0.
 
Johnson & Wales responded with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning before senior pitcher Dan Bass settled in and struck out a pair of batters to keep the Bears lead at three. Bass allowed a leadoff single in the second but again fanned two Wildcats to escape the jam and strand the runner at second base.
 
In the top of the third, senior Shane Beaver reached scoring position on a double to right-center and advanced to third on a groundout. First-year Brett Barrett worked a two-out walk before Fogg reached on a defensive error to score Beaver and increase the Ursinus lead to 6-2.
 
Johnson & Wales added its second home run in the fourth inning, while a two-out, two-run single in the fifth cut the Bears lead to 6-5. After Ursinus went down in order in the top of the sixth, the Wildcats received their third home run — a solo shot — to tie the contest at six.
 
However, in the seventh, Gesford blasted his first career grand slam to push the Bears lead to 10-6. Senior Kyle Rosenfeld, Sullivan and Beaver each reached base prior to Gesford's homer to give Ursinus the four-run cushion.
 
Johnson & Wales answered with a pair of runs in the seventh, but Ursinus added insurance runs in the eighth and ninth innings to secure the 12-8 victory.

Ursinus 5, Johnson & Wales 2

The Bears once again took an early lead, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning behind a pair of hits. Sullivan led off with a double before advancing to third on a groundout. After a hit-by-pitch, Beaver delivered an RBI single to score Sullivan, while a groundout by Gesford scored Kopec to give Ursinus a two-run advantage.
 
In the top of the second, Martin battled through a one-out double on the mound, recording a popout and groundout to strand a Wildcat in scoring position. The Bears added a run in the third inning on a two-out RBI single by Callahan to extend their lead to 3-0.
 
Johnson & Wales responded with a run in the top of the fifth inning, capitalizing on a passed ball to cut the deficit to 3-1.
 
The Bears added two runs in the seventh inning on three hits to extend the lead to 5-1. Sullivan and Callahan each led off with singles before advancing to second and third on an error. Beaver lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Sullivan, while a single by Gesford scored Callahan to push the Bears lead to four.
 
The Wildcats scored a run in the top of the ninth, but first-year Austin Downs recorded two flyouts and a lineout to secure the 5-2 victory for Ursinus.
 
The Bears return to action Sunday, March 15, to open their spring training at the Ripken Baseball Complex, where they are scheduled to face The College at Old Westbury at 6 p.m.