COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – Ursinus and Washington split a pair of games in a Centennial Conference baseball doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.
The Bears won game one 5-3, while the Shoremen (12-10, 7-5 Centennial) defeated Ursinus (13-13-1, 4-8 Centennial) 2-1 in game two. The loss in game two snapped Ursinus’ five-game unbeaten streak.
With the win in game one, Ursinus head coach Brian Thomas got his 200th win in Centennial Conference play becoming only the second coach to do so.
In the opener, Ursinus scored three runs in the bottom of the first, all coming on a three-run double to left field by senior outfielder Tommy Clarke (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon) with no outs.
After Washington got one back in the third, Ursinus put two more on the board in the bottom of the third as sophomore center fielder Ben Gresh (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) drove home Clark on a double, then later scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore first baseman Rich Guthridge (Schwenksville, Pa./Spring-Ford).
That would be all sophomore pitcher Steve Christakos (Rockville, Md./Walter Johnson) would need as he went the distance striking out six and walking just three in a complete game performance.
Clarke finished with three RBI, while sophomore shortstop Brandon Sullivan (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown) had three hits. Senior catcher Chris Fusco (Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) had two hits in game one.
In game two, Ursinus took a 1-0 lead in the third as Sullivan scored on a RBI double by senior right fielder Bret Umstead (Green Lane, Pa./Upper Perkiomen).
Washington tied the score in the sixth as an error allowed Sean Connole to advance to third and score on a RBI groundout by John Rolewicz.
Washington got the winning run in the ninth as Ryan Normoyle scored on a RBI hit by Kyle Aldrich. Normoyle had advanced into scoring position via a wild pitch.
Umstead, Gresh and junior third baseman Rob Vogt (Basking Ridge, N.J./Seton Hall Prep) had two hits in the loss.
Freshman pitcher Jake Kohler (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) went 8.2 innings, striking out five and walking just one in taking the loss.