CARLISLE, Pa. – A pair of narrow decisions went against the Ursinus College softball team in Saturday's Centennial Conference opener at Dickinson.
Dickinson (8-10, 2-0) was just able to make a 4-0 lead stand up and edge the Bears, 5-3, in the opener before going on top with two fifth-inning runs and hanging on for a 2-1 win in the nightcap.
Game 1: Dickinson 5, Ursinus 3
A two-out Ursinus error kept a rally alive for the Red Devils in the bottom of the second, and Marissa Fabbo took advantage with a two-run single to dent the scoreboard first.
Dickinson added two more in the fourth, one on a bases-loaded walk and another courtesy of an infield single by Julie Siecinski.
Held to just one hit in the first four innings, the Bears (9-9, 0-2) came to life in the fifth. Sophomore Morgan Comfort started the frame with a base hit and went to third on senior Gabrielle Manto's double down the left-field line. Two batters later, senior Faith Carson came through with a pinch-hit, two-run single to slice the Dickinson lead in half.
The Bears nearly had another run to open the sixth, but senior Kayla Quinn was gunned down at home trying to stretch out a leadoff triple. Ursinus did get one across in the inning when Comfort scored on a passed ball, but the Red Devils stranded the tying run at third and posted an insurance run in the bottom half.
Madison Milaszewski earned the win after allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits in 5.2 innings. Comfort finished 2-for-3 with two runs to lead the Ursinus offense.
Game 2: Dickinson 2, Ursinus 1
Comfort engaged in a pitchers' duel with Dickinson's Cat Vill in the second contest. The pair traded zeroes until the fifth inning, when all of the game's runs were scored.
Senior Callie Crouse got the Bears on the board first, doubling to lead off the fifth and moving to third on Carson's sacrifice before freshman Mackenzie Brennan drove her home with a base hit to left-center.
Unfortunately, Ursinus was unable to hold onto the lead. Dickinson used four consecutive one-out singles, the last a two-run knockout blow by Siecinski, to go ahead for good.
Vill allowed six hits in a complete-game victory for the Red Devils. Comfort surrendered two runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
Sophomore Heather Lazer went 2-for-3 for the Bears at the plate.
Up Next
The softball team continues CC play at Franklin & Marshall on Tuesday.