Bears Take Down Swarthmore
SWARTHMORE, Pa. - Ursinus pounded out 18 hits to defeat homestanding Swarthmore 12-1 in Centennial Conference action on a blustery Tuesday afternoon. The Bears improve to 7-11 overall and 2-3 in the CC while the Garnet dip to 5-11 overall and 0-5 in the CC.
Freshman shortstop Conor Casey led Swarthmore with a 2-for-5 outing, despite having to wear a protective facemask after taking a bad-hop ground ball in the face during warm-ups.
In the first inning, the Bears scored their first run when freshman David Randolph doubled and then scored on senior Bret Jenkins' two-bagger to left field.
Ursinus exploded for seven hits in the top of the third off Swarthmore starter Sean Varsolona '09, scoring six times to open a 7-0 lead. Randolph smacked a one-out single to left, scoring Brendan Evans and Stephen Benavage. Later in the inning, senior Ben Fisher cracked a two-out bases-loaded double to left and catcher Jon Sheppard followed with a two-run single to centerfield.
Varsolona blanked the Bears through the next three innings, before Ursinus pinch hitter Rory Graver hit his first collegiate home run over the left field fence to put the Bears ahead 8-0.
Swarthmore got on the board in the bottom of the eight as freshman infielder Kevin Kooi drew a bases-loaded walk off Ursinus reliever Mike Stangroom.
The Bears tacked on four more in the top of the ninth for the final margin.
Jenkins led Ursinus with three hits and an RBI while Randolph added a 2-for-4 performance with two runs and two RBIs.
Bears' southpaw Clay Miller (1-2) pitched six shut-out innings while striking out six batters to earn his first win of the season.
Varsolona (2-3) picked up the loss, tossing eight innings, striking out five batters.
Swarthmore completes the back end of a Centennial home-and-home with Ursinus on Friday, April 7, traveling to Collegeville, Pa. for a 3:30 p.m. game.