Garnet Strike Gold, Sweep Crusaders
Shortstop Katie Gold '08 made a memorable home debut, driving in five runs on four hits as Swarthmore rolled over Alvernia College 8-0 and 11-3 to sweep a Tuesday afternoon doubleheader at Clothier Fields.
The Garnet offense, on display in the first home competition of the young 2005 season, busted out 27 hits and 13 runs off Crusader pitching as Swarthmore remained undefeated at home.
Swarthmore put two runs on the board in the bottom of the third as leadoff hitter Sam Brody '05 (above) started everything with a base hit. Brody eventually came around to score on single by Gold, and Mary Mintel scored on a base hit by Anna Ghublikian to make it 2-0 Garnet.
Brody generated some more offense for Swarthmore (4-10) in the fourth inning. The senior left fielder reached on a base hit, moved over on a single by Danielle Miller '06, and scored on a passed ball. The Garnet plated two more runs, the last coming on an RBI single by Gold, giving Swarthmore a 5-0 lead after four innings.
The Garnet put the finishing touches on game one, scoring three times in the bottom of the sixth, evoking the mercy rule. Emily Walz '08 (2-1) and Marianne Klingamann '07 combined on the shut-out, limiting the Crusaders (5-6) to six hits and striking out four.
Gold had three hits and four RBIs, while second baseman Miller added three hits of her own and scored twice. Brody, Christina Procacci '06, and Mintel all had two hits and two runs scored, while Ghublikian added two hits and a run.
It was all Swarthmore in game two, as the Garnet jumped on Alvernia hurler Ashley Irvin for six runs off six hits in the first inning. That would be all the runs Emily Remus '06 and Amy DiBiase '08 (1-3) would need, as the Swarthmore pitchers held Alvernia to three runs on seven hits through six innings.
Miller collected three more base hits in game two, raising her batting average over ninety points to .318 on the season. First baseman Kelly Siano '07 drove in two runs on two hits, while Gold and Mintel scored two times apiece for Swarthmore.
The Garnet will travel to the College of New Jersey for a weekend-long tournament on Friday, March 25th.