March 31, 2012
Unlucky Sevens for Swarthmore Softball in Doubleheader Loss to Gettysburg
GETTYSBURG, Pa. - Homestanding Gettysburg put up seven runs in each game of Saturday's doubleheader with the Swarthmore College softball team (10-10, 0-4) and limited the Garnet to just one extra base hit over both games to sweep the doubleheader (7-5 and 7-1) from the Battlefield.
Sophomore Nicole Aaron smacked a home run for the second-consecutive outing as part of her three-hit afternoon. Junior Kate Smayda recorded three hits and drove in two runs on the day.
In the first game, Swarthmore used a four-run top of the fifth inning to build a 4-1 lead over the Bullets. The Swat offense strung together four singles and was aided by two Gettysburg errors to bring four runners home. Freshman Chelsea Matzko started the run with single to center field, in which she advanced to second on an error by the Gettysburg centerfield. In the next at bat, senior Marley Spector singled to right to make it first and third with no one out. Pinch runner Samantha Bennett was then driven home in the next at bat following an RBI single from freshman Laurie Sellars, making it a 1-1 game. The big hit of the inning came next from Smayda, as she drove home two runs in the next at-bat to make it a 3-1 game. Finally, junior Danielle Seltzer capped the rally when she knocked home Smayda two batters later with a ground out to short, making it 4-1 ballgame.
The Swarthmore lead was short-lived, however, as the Bullets plated one run on three hits in the bottom of the fifth to knot the score at 4-4. The Garnet re-captured the lead in top of the sixth inning with a run manufactured by a Elizabeth Cushing single and Gettysburg error, but the Bullets put the game away in the bottom of the sixth. The Bullets scored three runs on four hits, including a lead off triple from Lang and a three RBI double from Badar, to go ahead for good at 7-5.
Sophomore Melissa O'Connor (6-5) took the loss on the mound for the Garnet, striking out four.
In the second game, Gettysburg scored three runs in each of the third and sixth innings and limited the Garnet offense to just five hits in a 7-1 win.
Aaron provided the Garnet's only run of the game with her solo home run in the fourth inning. Smayda added two hits while junior Rose Pitkin also hit safely.
On the mound for Swat, sophomore Sarina Lowe took the loss (2-3).
Swarthmore returns to Centennial play on Tuesday when it hosts McDaniel, which is also the team's designated Strike Out Cancer Games. Play is scheduled to begin between 2:30 and 3:00 p.m.
