Garnet Drop Pair to Maroons in Georgia
SAVANNAH, Ga. -- The Swarthmore softball dropped its opening doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon, falling to Roanoke College 9-4 in the first game and 9-2 in game two at the Smash Hit Spring Break Tournament hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design.
The Maroons (2-0) got the offense going early, scoring two runs in the first inning courtesy of a Ashley Pierce two-run home run off Swarthmore starter Alexandra Zelaski '09. The Maroons tacked on another run in the bottom of the second to take an early 3-0 lead.
Swarthmore rallied for four runs to take a 4-3 lead in the top of the third. Melissa LaVan '07 walked, freshman Kristin Caspar got hit by a pitch, and catcher Christina Procacci '06 walked to load the bases. Senior outfielder Stephanie Rogan ripped a two-run double to score LaVan and Caspar, while Procacci and Rogan came around to score on an error by Roanoke backstop Erin Ruitenberg.
The Maroons, the 2005 ODAC (Old Dominion Athletic Conference) Champion and NCAA Division III Tournament participant, re-took the lead in their next at-bat, putting up four runs on a pair of hits and a Garnet error, assuming the 7-4 lead. Roanoke tacked on a run in the fifth and a run in the sixth for its first win of the season.
Zelaski (0-1) took the loss in her collegiate debut, allowing five earned runs on ten hits, striking out two while walking two.
Rogan led the Garnet with a double and two RBIs in three trips to the plate.
Emily Walz took the ball for Swarthmore in the second game and had little luck solving the Maroon hitters. Roanoke struck early and often, plating four runs four hits in the first frame.
The Garnet got a run back in each of the next two innings to cut the Maroon lead to 4-2. First baseman Kelly Siano '07 hit a one-out single to center in the second, freshman Lauren Walker followed with her first collegiate hit (a single to left), and LaVan tapped the ball up the middle to load the bases. After Caspar struck out, Procacci drew a walk to bring home Siano with Swarthmore's first run.
The second Garnet run came in the bottom of the third; freshman Christine Sendelsky doubled down the left field line for her first collegiate base hit and then scored one out later as Siano reached on her own double to left.
Walz (0-1) suffered the loss for Swarthmore (0-2), surrendering eight earned runs off nine hits while striking out three batters in 6.0 innings of work.
Siano was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored while Procacci also drove in run on one hit and a walk.
The Garnet resume play in the SmashHit Tournament on Wednesday, March 8 with a 12:00 p.m. game with Mt. Olive. Swarthmore will also face Saint Vincent's on Wednesday afternoon at 4:00 p.m.