COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – Ursinus slugger Alex Mumme broke one school record and matched another on a gusty Senior Day in which the Bears dropped two games to Washington College at Thomas Field.
Mumme picked up a pair of two-hit games for the Bears (18-17, 7-10). In doing so, the Division III home run co-leader matched the single-season school mark for hits. He finished the day on a total of 65, tying Dave Randolph (2007).
Mumme's sixth-inning double down the line in the nightcap tied Randolph's record and also broke his own program mark for doubles in a season with 21.
It was tough sledding for Ursinus as Washington College (27-12, 8-9) received superb pitching across the board, keeping the Bears' bats in check.
The Bears looked to rally back in the first game. Ursinus trailed 6-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth and definitely made the Shoremen bite their nails. Junior Dom Fiorentino began the frame with his 10th career home run, crushing one over the right-field fence.
Senior Carter Usowski's double and a walk of sophomore Jerry Scavone set up an RBI single by classmate Tom Jacobs to trim the lead to 6-3. Fellow sophomore Will Peiffer walked to load the bases with two outs. The Shoremen then summoned Ethan Kile out of the bullpen for a one-out save opportunity facing sophomore Eric Gross. Kile was able to get Gross to ground out back to the mound, extinguishing a potential Ursinus rally.
Game 1: Washington College 6, Ursinus 4
The Bears made it interesting in the final inning but couldn't quite figure out the Shoremen's pitching.
Washington College's lefty Mike Smith (7-3) went six innings of two-run ball on seven hits, walking two and fanning five.
Smith's two runs were knocked in by Peiffer, who got the Bears on the board to tie it 1-1 in the second when he ripped a triple down the right-field line.
The Shoremen plated a run on a RBI single in the following inning.
Washington College scored twice in the fourth to extend its lead to 4-1. Chris Baker hit an RBI double to right, then Ryan Zwier sent an elevator shaft pop to center into the wind that fell in front of a diving Fiorentino.
Scavone singled with one out in the sixth. He moved to third after a passed ball and wild pitch. Peiffer rolled to second to score Scavone and make it 4-2.
Jack Kingman hit a bleeder just into right field, scoring two Shoremen insurance runs in the seventh (6-2).
Hard throwing reliever Ryan Mostoller came in to relieve Smith in the seventh. The Bears built up what appeared to be a big inning but squandered opportunities. Junior Mike Stanziale was hit by pitch to leadoff the frame. With the Shoremen playing shallow in the outfield, Fiorentino stung a liner off the right fielder's glove for a double. Ursinus had runners on second and third with no outs, but Mostoller struck out two then walked junior pinch hitter Jake Supran to load the bases. Mostoller then fanned his third hitter of the inning to escape with no damage.
Mumme, Jacobs, Scavone, and Usowski each picked up 2-hit games as the Bears had more hits than the Shoremen (12 to 10).
Game 2: Washington College 16, Ursinus 1
Ursinus scored in the first inning but it was all Shoremen behind a sparkling pitching performance from Ethan Osgood.
Osgood (5-1), now the Centennial Conference ERA leader (1.03), logged seven innings yielding an unearned run on six hits. Osgood struck out 10 and walked just one batter.
In the opening frame, Mumme hit a ball to the left center warning track for a double. Usowski singled to left center. An errant pickoff to first allowed Mumme to score from third with the lone Bear run of the game.
Mumme registered two doubles and Jacobs collected two hits (a double and single) as they were the only Bears to have two-hit games.
In the fourth, the Shoremen scored three to go ahead, 3-1. Washington College put together a five-run sixth inning to go up 8-1 and tacked on eight runs on seven hits in the last stanza.
The game featured a bunch of web gems by both ball clubs.
Senior pitcher David Drea (1-2) started his last game at Thomas Field. Ursinus honored seniors Matt Bull, Drea, Mark LeDuc, Aidan Rodgers, Alex Soriano, and Usowski in addition to Matt Rapp, Drew Roesch, and Sebastian Khidhayir-Greco before the start of the second game.
The Bears wrap up their 2019 campaign at Franklin & Marshall Sunday at 1 p.m.