CAMDEN, N.J. – Behind a strong offensive showing, the Ursinus baseball team completed a doubleheader sweep over Rutgers-Camden University on Saturday afternoon.


Ursinus totaled 23 hits en route to a 16-4 victory in game one before scoring four runs over the final two innings in the nightcap to complete the sweep with an 8-5 win.


Game 1: Ursinus 16, Rutgers-Camden 4

First-year Brett Barrett led the Bears at the plate, finishing 5-for-6 with two runs and two RBIs. Senior Shane Beaver and sophomore Matthew Callahan each added four hits, while sophomore Isaac Gesford went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBIs. On the mound, senior Max Shilstone earned the win in relief, tossing 4.1 shutout innings while allowing three hits and striking out three.


The Scarlet Raptors opened the scoring in the bottom of the first as a two-out single plated the game's first run. Ursinus responded in the top of the second, scoring five runs on four hits and two walks to take a 5-1 lead.


Gesford started the rally with an infield single, while a walk and a single from Barrett loaded the bases with one out. After a fielder's choice threatened the rally, junior Brandon Sullivan delivered a two-run single to left field to give Ursinus a one-run lead. Callahan then doubled to center field to score two more runs and later crossed the plate on a wild pitch to make it 5-1.


Rutgers-Camden added a run in the bottom of the second, but Ursinus answered with two in the third to extend the lead to 7-2. Gesford again sparked the rally with a single up the middle before advancing to third on a single by Beaver. Barrett delivered an RBI single to score Gesford, and senior George Nestor added a two-out RBI single to extend the lead to five.


The Scarlet Raptors scored in both the third and fourth innings, but Ursinus responded each time, plating two runs in the fourth and six more in the fifth to stretch the advantage to 15-4.


During the six-run fifth inning, seven straight Bears reached base with two outs, including four consecutive hits. With the bases loaded, Gesford delivered a three-run triple off the right-field wall to give Ursinus a 10-4 lead. Beaver, Barrett and Rosenfeld followed with singles to extend the margin to 11 runs.


Shilstone stranded two runners in the fifth before retiring the side in order in the sixth. In the seventh, junior Marco Maiuolo led off with a walk and later scored on an RBI single by Barrett to make it 16-4. Shilstone and senior Gavin Cook combined to close out the final three innings as Ursinus secured the Game one victory.


Game 2: Ursinus 8, Rutgers-Camden 5

Ursinus opened the scoring in the second inning, pushing across a run with the help of a walk and two defensive miscues by the Scarlet Raptors. Maiuolo reached and moved into scoring position on a throwing error. After a groundout, strikeout and walk, Maiuolo crossed the plate when Rosenfeld reached on an error by the Rutgers-Camden catcher to give Ursinus a 1-0 lead.


Ursinus extended the lead to 2-0 in the third as Gesford delivered a two-out RBI infield single to score Callahan from third. Rutgers-Camden scored in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit to one, but Ursinus added two runs in the fifth to take a 4-1 lead. After two quick outs, sophomore Luke Kopec doubled and Maiuolo walked to put two runners on. Gesford and Beaver followed with RBI singles and held a 4-1 advantage. 


The Scarlet Raptors responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth off two hits and two Ursinus errors to trim the deficit to 4-3. Ursinus broke through again in the eighth, scoring twice to extend the lead to 6-3. Rosenfeld singled with one out, and walks to Nestor and Sullivan loaded the bases. Callahan lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, and a throwing error by the pitcher allowed Nestor to score for a three-run cushion.


The Bears added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth to make it 8-3 before Rutgers-Camden plated two in the bottom half for the final margin. Junior Barritt Ross earned the win in relief, tossing the final 4.1 innings while allowing two earned runs to improve to 1-1 on the season. At the plate, Gesford finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs, while Kopec added two hits and Maiuolo scored twice.


Ursinus returns to action Saturday, March 7th, traveling to Widener University. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.