GETTYSBURG, Pa. – More than half of Gettysburg College's hits went for extra bases as the Bullets remained atop the Centennial Conference standings with a sweep of Ursinus College at Bobby Jones Field Saturday.
Gettysburg (13-11, 9-1 CC) posted four doubles on the way to a 4-2 victory over Ursinus (11-13, 2-8 CC) in the opening game. The bats kept swinging in game two as sophomore
Sarahrose Jonik (Glenmoore, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) led off with a home run and senior
Stephanie Leonardo (East Haddam, Conn./Choate Rosemary Hall) added a solo shot in the fourth to propel the Bullets to a 9-1 decision.
The Orange and Blue recognized its three seniors –
Wendy Folfas (Westminster, Md./McDonogh School), Leonardo, and
Aileen Reilly (Huntington Station, N.Y./St. Anthony's) prior to the opening pitch. The trio responded in a big way with Folfas recording three doubles and two RBI, Leonardo posting three hits, three runs, and two RBI, and Reilly tossing a complete-game with four strikeouts.
The hosts took advantage of some fielding miscues in the second inning of game one, bringing across the first run on a passed ball and scoring the second on an errant throw on steal attempt. Ursinus cut the deficit in half on a double by Morgan Comfort in the top of the third inning.
A double by Folfas brought home a run in the bottom of the inning and Jonik added another run-scoring two-bagger to make it a 4-1 lead in the top of the fourth.
Reilly surrendered a run on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch in the sixth, but the senior hurler worked out of the jam with a fielder's choice at home and a fly out to right to end the threat.
Reilly earned her 52nd career victory, leaving her three shy of the program's all-time mark. She also tied the program record for most appearances with her 88th. The senior allowed seven hits, two runs, two walks, and struck out four.
Folfas and freshman
Shelby Baker (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington) each finished 2-for-3. Leonardo went 1-for-1 with a walk, run, and stolen base.
Gettysburg wrapped up the nightcap in six innings after scoring five runs in its final at bat. The Bullets started emphatically as Jonik pulverized the second pitch she saw over the left-field fence.
Ursinus tied things up in the third inning with Sammi Donato leading off with a double down the left-field line and coming home to score on a single by Kayla Quinn. Quinn's hit would be the last for the Bears against junior
Morgan Clauser (Columbus, N.J./Northern Burlington). Clauser retired the final 11 batters she faced, including three by strikeout.
The Bullets broke the tie in the bottom of the fourth. Sophomore
Rachel Julie (Elmsford, N.Y./Briarcliff) brought in one run with a double and later scored on a throwing error by the center fielder on a fly out. Leonardo then belted her first homer of the spring over the fence in left to make it 4-1.
Gettysburg closed the day by sending nine batters to the dish in the sixth inning. Leonardo and Jonik each drove in runs and freshman
Brynn Griffith (Maple Glen,, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) brought in two more with a pinch-hit single. The game-clinching run came across on a groundout by Folfas.
Clauser improved to 7-3 after allowing one run on three hits and striking out six. Leonardo went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI, while Julie finished 1-for-2 with two runs, one RBI, and a walk.
Gettysburg next game against Swarthmore College scheduled for April 15 has been postponed due to inclement weather. That game has been rescheduled for April 22 at 1 p.m. The team's next outing will be at Franklin & Marshall College on Tuesday at 3 p.m.