Garnet Split With Ursinus
SWARTHMORE, Pa. -- Senior catcher Christina Procacci delivered a game-winning two-run single in the bottom of the fifth inning to send the Garnet (14-9, 1-1 CC) to a 2-1 victory over Ursinus in the first game of a Centennial doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon.
Ursinus (13-5, 2-2 CC), the 2005 Centennial Conference champion, held off Swarthmore 8-6 in game two behind a two-hit, three-RBI performance from centerfielder Katie Gallagher.
The 14 victories is the most by a Swarthmore team since 1988 when the team was 16-6
An exciting pitcher's duel ensued in the first game, pitting Swarthmore freshman sensation Alexandra Zelaski versus 2005 Centennial Conference Pitcher of the Year Mallory Greene.
The Bears drew first blood as 2005 All-Centennial performer Mary Reid drove a Zelaski offering in the top of the fourth out over the fence for a 1-0 Ursinus lead. It is the second home run of the season for Reid and the fourth of her career.
The Ursinus run ended Zelaski's 18-inning scoreless streak, dating back to .
Greene (4-5) limited the Garnet to a pair of hits through the first four frames. Swarthmore got a rally cooking in the bottom of the fifth started when junior first baseman Kelly Siano drew a full-count walk. Freshman centerfielder Lauren Walker followed with a double in the gap to put runners on second and third with no outs. Greene retired Melissa LaVan '07 on a liner to third and got Kristin Caspar '09 to pop out to short. Procacci came to the plate with 24 walks on the season, but Greene had issued only seven free passes in over 60 innings. Procacci saw no need to look for a base on balls and lined a 1-0 pitch into the outfield to drive home Siano and Walker to give the Garnet a 3-2 lead.
Zelaski retired the Bears in order in the sixth before Reid led off the seventh with a double. Ursinus got the runner to third with two outs, but Zelaski enduced Elizabeth Carino into a ground out to give Swarthmore its 14th victory of the season.
Procacci had two of the four Garnet hits, driving in two RBIs to push her career-high total to 17 on the season.
Zelaski (7-2) won her sixth straight decision, allowing only four hits over seven innings while striking out three.
Greene suffered the loss, allowing two runs in six innings, striking out five. Reid was 2-for-2 for the Bears, with one run and an RBI.
The second game was a back-and-forth battle that wasn't settled until the final out. Ursinus jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning yet the Garnet answered back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the second. Freshman Christine Sendelsky and sophomore Katie Gold led of the Swarthmore second with consecutive singles. After Siano was fanned by Bears' pitcher Lindsay Schmidt, Walker moved up the runners with a ground out to first base. LaVan came through with a two-run single to tie the game and gave the Garnet the lead by scoring as Caspar followed with a single.
Ursinus came back with three runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to take a 7-3 lead. Swarthmore made the score 7-4 in the bottom of the fifth when Sendelsky singled, moved to second on an error by the Bears' leftfielder, and came around to score on a base hit by Gold.
Ursinus increased the lead to 8-4 with run in the top of the sixth.
The Garnet made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh, as Sendelsky delivered an RBI single and Swarthmore loaded the bases with no one out. Ursinus brought Greene into the game in relief of Schmidt, and the Garnet put one more run across before Greene shut the door by striking out Walker and getting LaVan to ground out.
Sendelsky and Gold both were 4-for-4 in game two; Sendlesky scored three times and drove in a run while Gold scored once and tallied an RBI. LaVan was 1-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs.
Garnet junior Marianne Klingaman (3-3) was tagged with the loss, pitching 4.1 innings allowing seven runs (only one earned) with a pair of strikeouts.
Schmidt (7-0) pitched six innings for the win, striking out three batters while walking two. Greene pitched the final inning for her first save of the season.
The Garnet travel to Carlisle, Pa. on Saturday afternoon for their next game. Swarthmore will take on Centennial foe Dickinson at 1:00 p.m. on April 8.