It was a heartbreaking Saturday for Widener, as the Pride suffered consecutive extra-inning losses to SUNY Oswego and Salisbury, falling 5-4 and 3-2. Despite strong performances on the mound and timely hitting, Widener couldn’t close out either contest and now sits at 2-4 on the season.
The opener against Oswego saw Widener take an early lead in the second inning when Ryan Bauerle led off with a triple and later scored. Oswego answered in the third, but the Pride reclaimed the lead in the fourth on a Brendan Raven sacrifice fly. Once again, Oswego responded in the bottom half, tying the game at 2-2. Chris McKenna’s RBI double in the sixth put Widener back in front, and Bauerle added another run in the seventh with a double to right-center, extending the lead to 4-2. However, Oswego clawed back, plating a run in the seventh and tying the game in the eighth with a sacrifice fly. The game remained deadlocked until the bottom of the tenth, when Oswego walked it off to secure the win.
Sean Curran delivered an impressive outing for Widener, striking out nine over six innings while allowing just two earned runs. Bauerle paced the offense, going 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, an RBI, and two runs scored.
Game two followed a similar script, with strong starting pitching dominating early. Widener broke the scoreless tie in the fourth on an RBI double from Sean Burke, then added another run in the fifth on a Jack Balcer RBI double. Salisbury responded with two runs in the bottom half, tying the game at 2-2. From there, both bullpens took control. Aidan O’Brien was outstanding in relief, tossing 3.1 scoreless innings and allowing just three hits. Caleb Horner kept the game knotted into extra innings, but the Pride couldn’t break through in the tenth, setting the stage for another walk-off loss.
Balcer and Burke each contributed key doubles and RBIs, while starter Trae Sanders allowed just two earned runs over 4.1 innings.
Widener will look to bounce back on Tuesday, March 4, when they travel to face Swarthmore. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
In other local D-III action
Fueled by a dominant opener and a late-game comeback, Ursinus swept Delaware Valley in a doubleheader on Saturday, securing an emphatic start to their 2025 home slate.The Bears cruised to an 11-1 victory in Game 1 before rallying late to claim a 10-6 win in Game 2. Sophomore Brandon Sullivan and senior Peter Balos led the offensive charge, combining for 10 hits, seven runs, and six RBIs on the day. Sullivan shined in the opener, going 3-for-4 with four runs scored, while Balos matched him with a 3-for-4 performance and three RBIs to power Ursinus to the sweep.
With the wins, Ursinus extended its streak to four straight victories, improving to 4-2 on the season, while Delaware Valley dropped to 1-4.
Other Scores
Haverford 11, Arcadia 2
Arcadia 3, Haverford 0
Hobart 8, Gwynedd Mercy 2
PSU Abington 4, Hobart 0
No, 17 Cortland 17, Immaculata 5
Witternberg 23, Immaculata 5
Cairn 16, Hood 3
Cairn 14, Hood 10
