April 26, 2012
Softball Splits With Eastern
ST. DAVIDS, Pa. - Playing its final non-conference contests of the season, the Swarthmore College softball team (19-19, 2-12) earned a split with homestanding Eastern, defeating the Eagles 7-4 in eight innings in the first game but falling in the second game 4-2.
Junior Danielle Seltzer led the Garnet offense with three hits in the first game, including a three-run homer in the fifth inning. Junior Rose Pitkin led the offense in the second game with three hits and a run batted in. Junior Kate Smayda continued her assault on the Centennial Conference's single-season hit record, picking up three hits on the afternoon, including a double in the second game. Smayda now has 63 hits for the season, which ranks second all-time in Centennial history and is just five shy of the single-season record of 68 held by Washington College's Lauren Dockrill (2011).
Senior Marley Spector and freshman Laurie Sellars each picked up two hits in the first game.
On the mound, junior Melissa O'Connor (11-9) got the decision in both games, winning Game 1 in 1.2 innings of relief, but taking the loss in Game 2. Sophomore Sarina Lowe worked six innings and allowed two earned runs in the first game.
In the first game, Swarthmore built a 4-1 lead heading into the final inning thanks in part to a huge two-out, three-run home run over the left fielder fence from Seltzer.
Ahead 4-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Swarthmore saw the Eagles mount a wild three-run rally to send the game into extra innings. Eastern strung together three consecutive singles to open the inning, chasing Lowe from the game and making it a 4-2 contest. In the next at bat, the Eagles tied the game with two runs on a fielder's choice - thanks in part to a critical Garnet error at the plate. Instead of folding and suffering another late-inning loss, the Swat defense buckled down to send the game into extra innings. In the next at bat, Cushing threw out the potential winning run at the plate to save the game. Next up, O'Connor was able to strike out the Eagles' Louise Fox, forcing extra innings.
With new life, the Swat offense made the most of its second chance in the top of eighth inning, scoring three runs to put the game away. Spector and Sellers both singled, Cushing drove in a run on a SAC fly and the Garnet benefited from two Eastern errors.
In the second contest, the Garnet offense was silenced by Eastern starting pitcher Maggie McGowan, garnering just six hits - three of which came in the first inning.
Smayda led off the game with a double as part of the Garnet's promising start. Swarthmore would eventually score two runs thanks to an Eastern error and singles from Pitkin and Seltzer, jumping to a quick 2-0 lead.
But that would prove to be all the scoring for Swarthmore in the second game. Eastern pushed runs across the plate in both the first and second innings to level the score at 2-2. The Garnet had a chance to jump back on top in the fourth inning, but it stranded runners on second and third.
The difference in the game came in the bottom of the fifth inning, as the Eagles' Tori Jacobson recorded a two-RBI single, plating two runs that proved to be the difference in the 4-2 contest.
Swarthmore closes out the regular season on Saturday at Ursinus.
