COLLEGEVILLE, PA. - The Ursinus College baseball team celebrated Senior Day and honored alumni from the Bears 1999 and 2000 Centennial Conference Championship seasons prior to Saturday's afternoon doubleheader with Dickinson College. The Red Devils used a come from behind victory in game one (7-5) and escaped game two with a 4-0 for the season sweep.
With the losses, the Bears fell to 10-21 overall and 3-9 in Centennial Conference action. Meanwhile, the Red Devils improved to 19-14 on the season and 7-7 in conference action.
Game One: Dickinson 7 Ursinus 5
The Bears jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first after three consecutive hits with two outs. First, Solomon Griffith doubled to right center and Jakob Cantor followed with a single into left field for the first run of the game. Next, Tim Pyne came through with a double down the right field line scoring Cantor from first.
Sophomore T.J. Snyder started the game for Ursinus and carried the momentum to the mound in the second inning. The southpaw struck out three of the four batters he faced in the frame. In the fourth and fifth innings Snyder started to settle in, retiring six of the seven batters he faced. Griffith added two more insurance runs for the Bears in the fifth after a towering home run to center scored Peter Balos.
Snyder was lifted early into the sixth inning and finished his day with five innings pitched, just three hits, and six strikeouts. Dickinson answered with five runs in the sixth after each of the first five batters reached base. Ursinus was able to tie the game at five a piece in the bottom half of the frame after Dylan Crammer lifted a sacrifice fly to right field. In the eighth, Dickinson was able to regain the lead after a single by Ryan Thompson scored the go-ahead runs to make the score 7-5. Ursinus was able to get the tying runs into scoring position in the ninth, but a strikeout ended the threat. Griffith led the Bears at the plate going 3 for 4 with 2 RBI's and two runs scored.
Game Two: Dickinson 4 Ursinus 0
Before game two, members of the 1999 and 2000 Centennial Conference Championship Ursinus baseball teams were honored for their continued dedication and commitment to Ursinus College and the Ursinus Baseball program.
Game two turned into a pitchers dual as Dickinson's Ethan Hamilton and Ursinus' Kieran Hollander took to the mound and each turned in stellar performances. For the Bears, Hollander, a freshman southpaw pitched 7.1 innings allowing seven hits while striking out three batters. For the Red Devils Hamilton shined as well as he pitched seven innings, scattering just two hits while striking out six Bears.
The Red Devils jumped out a 1-0 lead in the third inning after a Bears error with two allowed Kenny Tagliaren to score. Meanwhile, Hamiliton was dealing on the mound for Dickinson retiring the first nine batters he faced. The Red Devils added two more runs in the fourth inning after a two-run homerun from Cole Hare made the score 3-0. In the bottom half of the frame, the Bears were able to get a base runner to third, but he was stranded there after a pop out ended the inning.
Dickinson added an insurance run in the eighth after a sacrifice fly from Matt Torres scored Lukas Atsalis from third. Dickinson's Alex Bouchard replaced Hamilton on the mound and closed out the final two innings in relief. Senior Luke Verga also pitched two scoreless innings out of the bullpen while allowing just one hit.
Ursinus will return to action tomorrow as they travel to Washington College for a doubleheader starting at noon.