Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Sophomore Ryan Taylor twirled a brilliant one-hit, nine-inning shutout while striking out a career-high 12 and the Gettysburg College baseball team earned a split against Ursinus College in its Centennial Conference opener at a sunny, blustery Kirchhoff Field on Saturday.

Ursinus (5-9, 1-1 CC) won the opener 3-1 before the Bullets (7-10, 1-1 CC) captured the nightcap 4-0 behind Taylor's masterpiece. He allowed just three baserunners and retired the final 17 batters he faced, throwing five consecutive perfect innings to end the game for his second career shutout. It was Gettysburg's first one-hitter since Dan Armstrong '04 accomplished the feat nearly seven years ago to the day in a 13-0, seven-inning shutout at Swarthmore on March 27, 2004.

Freshman Tommy LeNoir backed Taylor with a bases-loaded triple in the bottom of the second that made it a 3-0 game.

For the doubleheader, Gettysburg allowed just one earned run, as two of Ursinus' three runs in the opener against senior Matt Karis were unearned.

In the first game, the Bears took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Brandon Sullivan led off with a double and scored two batters later on a Bob Vogt sacrifice fly. But the Bullets answered in the bottom of the inning when Karis drove in a run with a sac fly of his own.

In the Ursinus second, Danny Ludwig reached on a one-out error before Kevin Wilson followed with a single. After a Garrett Smith sacrifice bunt, Sullivan drilled his second double in as many at-bats to clear the bases and make it 3-1 but was thrown out at third, 8-6-5, to end the inning.

Karis (2-2) settled in the rest of the way, allowing just one hit and two baserunners over the final five innings. He struck out five, walked none, and gave up six hits while working his fourth complete game in as many starts. Karis was also the beneficiary of a tremendous throw from deep in the hole at shortstop from LeNoir to nab the leadoff hitter in the sixth.

The Bullets had two excellent opportunities to cut into the deficit but were unable to capitalize, failing to score with runners on first and second and one out in the third and with runners on second and third and one out in the fifth.

Steve Christakos (3-2) finished with a three-hit complete game for Ursinus, striking out four and walking two.

In Game Two, the Bullets loaded the bases in the second on three straight singles from sophomore Pat Cody, sophomore Drew Hoppes, and freshman Cam MacDonald. Two batters later, LeNoir launched a 1-0 pitch the opposite way deep into rightfield, over the head and just beyond the reach of a lunging Smith near the warning track.

LeNoir's shot was more than enough run support for Taylor (2-2), who gave up his only hit on a sharply-hit single to center by Vogt with one out in the fourth. Rob Gresh drew a walk to move Vogt to second, and it would be the first and only time the Bears would have a runner reach scoring position. Taylor escaped his only jam of the game with a flyout and strikeout.

The Bullets also provided Taylor with an outstanding defensive play, as freshman Nate Simon barehanded a bunt down the third-base line to throw out the leadoff batter in the second.

It was the second nine-inning complete game victory in as many starts against Ursinus for Taylor, who also threw a seven-hitter with nine strikeouts in a 5-2 win in Collegeville last season.

Ursinus starter A.J. Wright (1-2) threw well after the second, giving up only two hits the rest of the way. He finished with six strikeout and two walks while yielding seven hits.

Cody finished 2-for-3 in the second game. Karis doubled to move to within two hits of 100 for his career.

The Bullets continue Centennial Conference action on Tuesday, when they visit Franklin & Marshall College in a single nine-inning game starting at 3:30 p.m.