GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Matched up against the Centennial Conference's top two arms, the Ursinus College softball team was shut out in both ends of Sunday afternoon's doubleheader at Gettysburg, dropping the opener 3-0 before the Bullets racked up six runs in the fifth to close out an 8-0 mercy rule in the nightcap.
Ursinus (8-14, 2-6) had its hands full against a Gettysburg squad that has won seven games in a row and leads the CC in ERA – a miniscule 1.78 – and almost every offensive category. The Bears managed just five hits against Aileen Reilly (11-4, 1.65) and Morgan Clauser (9-0, 1.59), the league's top two in wins and ERA.
With Ursinus sophomore Kaitlyn Willis matching wits with Reilly, the Bullets (20-4, 7-1) got their offense started in time to prevail in a fast-paced pitcher's duel in Game One.
Neither team had a baserunner until the fourth inning. The Bears' Kayla Quinn recorded the game's first hit with one out, but advanced no further, and Gettysburg took advantage of its first scoring opportunity in the bottom of the frame. Jamie Abell led off with a base knock to left and stole second with two outs before coming around to score the first run of the contest on an RBI single by Wendy Folfas.
Gettysburg added to its lead with a run in the fifth, and the Bears left the bases loaded in the next inning; after an infield hit by freshman Gabrielle Manto, Quinn and fellow rookie Callie Crouse drew back-to-back walks. But Reilly induced a fly ball to center to skirt the danger, and Mykaela Twitchell's laser home run down the right-field line gave the Bullets another insurance tally.
Reilly didn't need it, working around a one-out double by junior Casey Derella to lock down her CC-leading 11th win of the season. The righty gave up only three hits – only Derella's left the infield – and struck out five with two walks in her fourth shutout of the season.
Willis (5-5) worked her ninth complete game of the year, allowing three runs on five hits without a walk. She finished with three strikeouts, including the 100th of her career.
Next, it was senior Zoe Heinke's turn to duel with Gettysburg's other ace in Clauser, and again the fourth inning proved a bug-a-boo after a dominant start. Heinke was on cruise control for the first three innings, retiring all nine Bullets she faced and not allowing a ball to be hit out of the infield.
Twitchell's base hit through the right side broke up Heinke's unblemished start with one out in the fourth, and the Bullets capitalized. After a walk, Folfas ended the scoreless stalemate with an RBI single up the middle, and Taylor repeated the feat two batters later to stake the Bullets to a 2-0 lead.
Gettysburg cemented the sweep with a six-run fifth, which included Twitchell's second solo homer of the day.
Twitchell (2-for-3, two runs) finished the twofer 3-for-6 with two home runs and three runs scored. Steph Zengel scored two runs in the second game, and Folfas was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Clauser struck out five with a walk in five innings to remain unbeaten on the season at 9-0.
Freshman Samantha Garritano and sophomore Rachel Hyman recorded the lone hits for Ursinus, both singles. Heinke (2-6) pitched well, conceding two runs on three hits in four innings of work.
The Bears look to end their five-game losing streak on Tuesday, when they head to Immaculata for a non-conference doubleheader.