In a game where every inch mattered, Barritt Ross found the perfect patch of grass.
His eighth-inning RBI single to center lifted Ursinus to a 3-2 comeback win over Swarthmore on a breezy Friday afternoon at Thomas Field. It capped a gritty sequence that began with Jordan Williams wearing a pitch to lead off the inning and ended with Ross flicking a line drive into center that brought Andrew Richter home with the go-ahead run.
The Bears had trailed since the seventh inning, but manufactured the tying run the old-fashioned way — with a little luck, a little chaos, and a lot of hustle. After Richter’s single moved Williams to second, a wild pitch moved them both up a base. Williams then scored the tying run on a fielder’s choice that turned into a misplay, knotting the game at two. Moments later, Ross came through with the decisive swing.
On the mound, Chase Martin was steady and sharp, scattering two runs over seven innings. Max Shilstone handled the eighth with ease to earn the win, and David Morgan slammed the door in the ninth to notch his first save of the year.
The win nudged Ursinus to 15-9 on the season, while Swarthmore slipped to 12-13.
In other action
Call it a statement start to the weekend — and a little bit of everything from just about everyone. Neumann opened its Atlantic East Conference set with Gwynedd Mercy on Friday afternoon by checking every box: strong pitching, timely hitting, and just enough flash to keep things interesting in a 5-2 win.
Joe Boccio set the tone with three hits and an RBI, spraying the ball all over the yard. Thomas Carroll chipped in with two more knocks — including a triple — while driving in a run and scoring twice. Andrew Brown joined the party too, going 2-for-5 as the Knights strung together quality at-bats from start to finish.
But the story of the day? That was Nick Colon.
The senior righty didn’t light up the radar gun. He didn’t pile up the strikeouts. What he did was pitch. Eight-plus innings of calm, composed work. Just five hits. Two earned runs. One punchout. A whole lot of outs. He worked in and out of trouble, scattered four walks, and never let the moment get too big.
And when he handed the ball off in the ninth, Chris Balshuweit made quick work of it — a hit, two strikeouts, and save number two on the season.
The win pushes Neumann to a strong start in the weekend set, with two more chances ahead to keep the momentum rolling.
Other D-III Scores
Penn State Abington 11, Cairn 10
Stevens 7, Arcadia 5
Franklin & Marshall 8, Haverford 7
Centenary 9, Immaculata 0
