CARLISLE, Pa. – The Ursinus College baseball team put itself in position to sweep Dickinson in the Bears' first Centennial Conference games of the season, but the Red Devils rallied for four runs in the ninth inning to snatch an 11-10 slug-fest and prevent a sweep by the visitors.
Ursinus (10-7, 1-1) received a masterful complete game gem by sophomore Nick DeFeo in the opening game of the doubleheader. DeFeo (2-0) went the distance for the second time in three starts, allowing just one fifth-inning run. The tall righty scattered six hits, walked just one batter and struck out three.
In the closing game, the Bears had a 10-7 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth, but Dickinson (14-4, 1-1) came up with four runs in the frame to give the Red Devils the walk-off win with two outs.
The three Ursinus sluggers of juniors Dom Fiorentino and Alex Mumme and sophomore Will Peiffer each went yard in the second game. Fiorentino, in the leadoff spot, had himself a 4-for-6 game with the homer, a double, three RBI and two runs.
Mumme's homer in the second game was the 17th of his career, eclipsing Chris Jablonski '16 for second place in Ursinus history.
For the day, Fiorentino had five hits, two runs and five runs batted in. Mumme also scored five total runs in the twin bill.
Game 1: Ursinus 5, Dickinson 1
The Bears were retired in order through the first three innings before Mumme became the Bears' first base runner in the fourth as he worked a one-out walk. He advanced up to third base on a passed ball followed by a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly to center by freshman Jon Moldoff scored Mumme to give the Bears a 1-0 lead.
Ursinus added to its lead with two runs in the fifth. Gross singled for the Bears' first hit of the game, and Fiorentino delivered a two-run double to right field to go up 3-0.
Dickinson's lead-off walk in the bottom of the fifth came around to score on an RBI single by Ben Carter to right to give the Red Devils their lone run.
Ursinus greeted Dickinson's new reliever with two runs on three hits in the eighth to cushion its lead. It all started when Mumme singled with one down. Peiffer then doubled, leading to Mumme scoring his second run on an error by the left fielder during the play. Moldoff's single plated Peiffer to go up 5-1.
Red Devils starter Teddy Reddington got the loss in 7 1/3 innings of work. Reddington surrendered four runs on four Ursinus hits. He walked three and struck out five.
Dickinson designated hitter Joey Volpe picked up the only two-hit game on both sides for the contest.
Game 2: Dickinson 11, Ursinus 10
The Bears outslugged the Red Devils in the second game but couldn't quite seal the deal in the ninth.
Ursinus added to its lead to make it 10-7 in the eighth courtesy of Peiffer's two-run homer after Mumme was walked with two outs.
Ursinus was an out away from the sweep. Dickinson plated four in a tough inning for the Bears which featured a bases loaded game-winning two-run single to right center by Matilsky with two outs. The Red Devils scored four runs on three hits and made an Ursinus error hurt. The Bears used three pitchers in the game-deciding frame.
Early on, the Bears posted three runs in the third. Fiorentino sent a blast over the right-field fence. After two Bears reached, Moldoff singled to center, and an error by the center fielder allowed Mumme and Peiffer to score on the play.
The Red Devils put together a four-run fourth to take their first lead of the day. Dickinson collected three straight hits and capitalized on two Ursinus miscues. Matilsky delivered a two-run double to left center in the frame, part of a four-RBI game.
Fiorentino doubled down the right-field line to start a two-run fifth. Mumme followed that up with a two-run homer to left center to regain the 5-4 lead.
The Red Devils tied it 5-5 in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out single to center.
Senior Carter Usowski singled and sophomore Tom Jacobs reached on an error in the sixth. Gross then walked to load the bases for Fiorentino, who came up with a big single to right field to regain the lead, 7-5.
A pair of Dickinson walks were brought home from Ben Carter's triple down the right-field line to knot the score 7-7.
Ursinus took the lead back, 8-7, in the seventh when Jacobs lined a ball past the third baseman with two outs to score sophomore Jerry Scavone, who got on with a two-out walk.
The Bears host No. 4 Swarthmore Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.