COLLEGEVILLE, PA. - The Ursinus College baseball team used a seven-run second inning that lifted the Bears to a 9-2 victory over Muhlenberg College in Centennial Conference action on Tuesday afternoon.  

With the win, the Bears improved to 9-15 overall and 2-3in conference play. Meanwhile, Muhlenberg fell to 11-13 overall and 0-7 in Centennial Conference action.  

Junior Casey Murphy started on the mound for Ursinus and turned in an absolute gem, pitching seven innings of shutout baseball while allowing just three hits and 10 strikeouts. Murphy earned his third win of the season on the mound and turned in his second double-digit strikeout performance.  

In the first inning, after allowing two walks, the junior right-hander settled down and escaped the jam after a pop up and lineout stranded two runners. Keegan Stem led off the bottom half with a walk and advanced to third after Dylan Crammer doubled. The Bears jumped on the board first after sacrifice flies from Solomon Griffith and Tim Pyne each scored a run. Murphy retired the side in order in the second inning after a strikeout and two shallow pop outs.  

Ursinus jumped out to an 9-0 lead after scoring seven runs in the second inning off five hits and two Mules errors. Andrew Richter led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second after a high pickoff throw advanced out of play. The Bears loaded the bases after back-to-back base hit bunts from Jordan Williams and Stem. Crammer came through yet again with a double to left center, scoring two runs to make the score 4-0.  

Griffith followed up with a free pass to load the bases and the Mules went to bullpen to try and escape the jam. Pyne stepped up to the plate and drove a line drive into right field to score two more runs. Peter Balos used a sacrifice bunt for an RBI and moved Pyne into scoring position. After a Mules error, Andrew Richter dumped a single down the right field line to push the score to 9-0.  

Muhlenberg got a runner into scoring position in the third and fourth inning, but Murphy escaped the jam in both innings after recording strikeouts. In the sixth inning, Murphy used back-to-back punchouts to retire the Mules in order. In his final inning, after a leadoff walk, Murphy finished his day striking out back-to-back batters.  

Freshman David Morgan relieved Murphy in the eighth inning and closed out the final two innings allowing just one earned run off three hits.  

At the plate, Pyne led the Bears going 1-1 with 3RBI's while Crammer finished 2-5 with 2 RBI's and two runs scored.  

The Bears will return to action on Friday as they travel to Allentown to face Muhlenberg at Coca-Cola Park.