COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus College baseball team battled throughout, but a ninth inning run resulted in a 7-6 loss to No. 12 Kean University on Monday afternoon at Thomas Field.
 
With the loss, Ursinus fell to 20-14 on the season, while the Cougars improved to 26-9-1 overall. First-year Brett Barrett led the Bears' offense, finishing 3-for-5 with two RBIs and one run scored. It marked Barrett's fifth career three-hit game, while junior Brandon Sullivan added two hits and two RBIs.
 
First-year Austin Spisszak highlighted the Bears' pitching staff, tossing 4.2 shutout innings while allowing just one hit. Junior Ben Couture also provided a scoreless inning of relief out of the bullpen.
 
Kean added the game's opening run in its first at-bat, as a one-out walk and single put runners on the corners. A single plated the first run before first-year pitcher JJ Lai stranded two runners in scoring position with a popout and groundout.
 
Ursinus answered in the bottom of the first, tallying two hits and capitalizing on a defensive error to take a 2-1 lead. Sullivan led off with a single and stole second, while sophomore Matthew Callahan reached on an error to put runners on the corners with no outs. Callahan then stole second, and sophomore Luke Kopec drew a walk to load the bases. Barrett delivered with a single up the middle to tie the game at one. A sacrifice fly by sophomore Isaac Gesford gave the Bears the lead before a 6-4-3 double play ended the inning.
 
Kean loaded the bases with no outs in the second before Spisszak entered out of the bullpen. The left-hander allowed a two-run single to the first batter he faced but responded with consecutive popouts to strand two runners and keep the deficit at one. Spisszak then cruised through his next two innings, retiring six straight batters until a Cougar reached on an error to open the fifth. Three straight flyouts followed, keeping the deficit at one.
 
The Bears answered in the bottom of the fifth, scoring two runs on two hits and two walks to regain a 4-3 advantage. Callahan walked and stole second with one out. After a strikeout, Barrett singled to center to score Callahan and tie the game at three. Barrett then stole second, and Gesford followed with an RBI single to give Ursinus the lead.
 
Spisszak retired the side in order in the sixth, recording a strikeout, flyout and groundout in his final inning of work and exited with a 4-3 lead.
 
Kean responded in the seventh, scoring three runs on three hits to take a 6-4 lead. The rally was highlighted by a bases-loaded double, while a sacrifice bunt pushed across the final run of the inning. First-year Austin Downs recorded back-to-back strikeouts to strand a runner at third and end the frame.
 
Ursinus answered in the eighth, scoring two runs to even the score at six. Senior Shane Beaver reached on an infield error to open the inning, and senior Kyle Rosenfeld was hit by a pitch. After a sacrifice bunt and a strikeout threatened the rally, Sullivan delivered a two-run single to right-center to tie the game. Sullivan advanced to second on a throwing error, but a lineout ended the inning.
 
However, the Cougars plated the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth to take a 7-6 lead. Kean's leadoff hitter reached on an error and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. A single put runners on the corners before a sacrifice fly gave the Cougars the lead. Ursinus left two runners on base as a popup and flyout ended the inning.
 
Ursinus threatened in the bottom of the ninth, as the tying run reached scoring position, but a flyout sealed the 7-6 loss.
 
The Bears return to action Tuesday, traveling to Allentown for a Centennial Conference matchup against Muhlenberg College. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.