COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus softball team earned a split against Gettysburg in their Centennial Conference doubleheader opener on Saturday afternoon at Snell Softball Field.

With the split, the Bears move their record to 12-7 overall and start out conference play at 1-1. Meanwhile, the Bullets record now stand at 10-8 overall and 1-1 on Centennial play.

GAME ONE

The Bullets took an early 1-0 lead just three batters into the game after the leadoff hitter drew a walk, advanced the second on a groundout, and came around to score on a single. Ursinus responded in the bottom half of the inning with a run to tie the game after the Bullets shortstop bobbled a grounder with the bases loaded. After a scoreless second inning, Gettysburg took the lead back at 2-1 on a dropped fly ball that would have been the third out with a runner on second base. Junior Allyson Meakim led the bottom half of the third off with a double and came around to score one batter later off a single from sophomore Madison Wilson to tie the game once more at two. Gettysburg responded quickly, however, in the top of the fourth as they used a two-out rally to take the lead back at 3-2 off a single with a runner on second. The Bullets then rattled off three runs on two hits in the top of the fifth to go up 6-2. Ursinus looked to cut into the Gettysburg lead in the bottom of the fifth as senior Mackenzie Brennan and Meakim led the inning off with singles. Unfortunately for the Bears, a bunt attempt from Wilson was lined right into the first baseman's glove and she completed the double play with a throw to first. Ursinus was limited to just one hit in the final two innings as the Bullets preserved the win.

GAME TWO

Much like they did in game one, it was the Bullets that struck first as three-straight singles to open the contest gave the visitors a 1-0 lead. However, the Bears got a break by turning an inning ending double play with the bases loaded and one out. Ursinus put runners on second and third base with one out in the bottom of the first inning and sophomore Sam Williams drove in the lead runner on a sacrifice fly to tie the game at one. Senior Ally St. Jean followed with an RBI single one batter later to put the Bears in front before first-year Samantha Mallen drove in a third run on a two-out single with the bases loaded. The game remained the same score until the bottom of fourth when Ursinus added two runs on three hits and one error to take a 5-1 lead. Senior Julia Eckels and Brennan each tallied singles and stole a bases to get runners at second and third with no outs. Junior Amanda Panati singled to drive in Eckels and Williams brought in the fifth run of the game on an RBI groundout. Gettysburg began to rally in the top of the sixth as they scored three runs on three hits and one error to cut the Bears lead down to 5-4. Brennan helped provide some breathing room for the Bears as she roped a double to right centerfield to score Eckels, who led the inning off with a single. Despite Brennan being thrown out a third trying to leg out a double into a triple, Panati singled and advanced to second on a groundout. Williams delivered with outs with a single to put the Bears up 7-4 into the seventh inning. The Bullets loaded the bases after the first two outs were quickly recorded, but Eckels snatched a sharply hit fly ball to right field to end the game.

Brennan went a combined 4-of-7 from the plate in the two games and scored three runs while driving in one. Eckels went 2-of-3 from the plate with two runs scored in game two while Williams drove in three runs in game two. Senior Kayla McTamney earned the win for the Bears in game two after allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits with one strikeout along with one walk in six innings. Junior Alexis Miller earned her third save of the season after pitching a scoreless seventh.

The Bears return to action on Tuesday, April 5th as they will travel to face Haverford in Centennial Conference play starting at 3 p.m.