April 10, 2012
Cushing, Smayda Hit Milestone as Softball Sweeps Penn-State Berks, 9-2 and 8-4
READING, Pa. - The Swarthmore College softball team's explosive offense was clicking on all cylinders Tuesday afternoon, as the Garnet (12-14, 0-8) pounded out 17 runs over two games in a doubleheader sweep of Penn-State Berks (9-2 and 8-4).
Leading the Garnet offense were senior shortstop Elizabeth Cushing (pictured) and junior Kate Smayda. Cushing finished the doubleheader with four hits, including a three-for-four performance in the first game that included a home run and two doubles. Cushing's second-inning double in the first game marked a milestone, placing her fifth all-time in program history in career hits. Smayda also hit the 100-hit plateau thanks to her four-hit afternoon.
Freshman Emma Madarasz had a breakout afternoon, finshing with five hits over the two games. Junior Samantha Bennett added three hits in the second contest.
Sophomore Melissa O'Connor worked 6.2 innings in the first game to pick the win, striking out four. Sophomore Sarina Lowe got the victory in the second game, allowing two earned runs over seven innings with seven strikeouts.
The victories snapped the Garnet's six-game losing streak.
In the first game, it was complete domination on the mound and at the plate for Swarthmore, as the Garnet cruised to a 9-2 win.
Cushing led the offense with her three-for-four day, but she was hardly the only member of the team to get it done at the plate. Madarasz finished with a career-high three hits for the game, including an RBI double. Junior Rose Pitkin pounded out two hits, including a double, while Smayda and sophomore Nicole Aaron also finished the game with two-baggers.
On the mound, O'Connor surrendered just three hits and just one earned run over 6.2 innings to seal the win.
After falling behind 1-0 after the first inning, the Garnet responded by scoring in five of the next six innings to slowly turn the game into a 9-2 rout.
The scorching Garnet offense continued right into the second contest, scoring two runs in each of the first three innings. Thanks to RBI hits from Aaron and five PSU errors, the Garnet jumped to a 6-1 lead after three innings.
Ahead 6-2 in the top of seventh, Swarthmore added to its lead thanks to singles from Cushing, Madarasz and freshman Laurie Sellars, which pushed two more runs across the plate, making it an 8-2 game.
Those runs came in handy in the bottom of the seventh as the Lions made a late rally to make it interesting. PSU-Berks used two hits and two Garnet errors in the seventh to trim the advantage to 8-4, but that would be as close as it would get, as Swat eventually closed out the win.
Swarthmore returns home to face Arcadia in a doubleheader on Thursday at 3:00 p.m.
