KISSIMEE, Fla. – Delaney Baker put a perfect bow on a big milestone for Kayla Quinn, delivering a walk-off, bases-clearing double with one out in the bottom of the seventh to hand the Ursinus College softball team a 6-5 victory in Saturday's opener against Farmingdale State, a game in which Quinn notched her 100th career hit.
Junior Jennifer Hammons and freshman Kayla McTamney combined on a stellar pitching effort in the Florida finale, but the Bears wound up one run short in a 2-1 pitchers' duel against Clarkson. Quinn finished the day 4-for-7 with two RBI and a run as Ursinus capped its southern sojourn with a record of 4-6.
Game 1: Ursinus 6, Farmingdale State 5
The Bears shot out of the gates and picked up three unanswered runs in the first two frames. Sophomore Heather Lazer got it started with an RBI single in the first, and Quinn later came up with a two-out RBI single to plate Lazer with her 100th career knock.
Sophomore Megan Hasulak's sacrifice fly made it 3-0 in the second, but the Rams came back with one in the fourth and took the lead with a four-run sixth.
Trailing 5-3 and already down to its last two outs after Farmingdale State retired the leadoff hitter in the seventh, Quinn kick-started the winning rally with her third of the game. After senior Gabrielle Manto reached on an error, freshman Alyssa St. Jean was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Baker came in to pinch-hit and delivered a double that brought home all three runners, lifting Ursinus to a thrilling walk-off win.
Quinn was 3-for-3 with a run and an RBI in her milestone contest, while freshman Mackenzie Brennan was 2-for-4 with a run out of the leadoff spot.
Sophomore Morgan Comfort turned in a terrific start, allowing just three hits and one run over five innings; she struck out four and walked three. Classmate Gabby Ilyes worked the last two innings and was rewarded with the win when the Bears came back in the final inning.
Game 2: Clarkson 2, Ursinus 1
Hammons pitched a gem in the team's last game in the Sunshine State, her only blemish over five standout frames a two-run homer by Kayla Robert in the second inning.
The Bears, however, managed only four hits off Leah Allen and couldn't get anything going until their backs were firmly against the wall. This time, it wasn't quite enough.
With two outs and nobody on in the seventh, senior Callie Crouse kept Ursinus alive with a base hit. Manto drew a walk, and Quinn got the Bears on the board with another RBI single. With runners on first and second, St. Jean flied out to end the game.
Hammons allowed six hits and struck out a career-high eight, helping to offset five walks. McTamney pitched a scoreless sixth in relief.
Allen conceded just four hits – half of them in the seventh – and one run with a pair of walks and five strikeouts.