Softball: Fords Take Pair From Swarthmore
HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford Fords held onto first place in the Centennial, slipping past the Garnet 2-1 and 4-1 in a Conference doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon. The Garnet fall to 6-6 in the Centennial with four games remaining.
In game one, Swarthmore got another strong pitching performance from freshman standout Alexandra Zelaski (9-5), who went all six innings while allowing two runs on nine hits.
The Fords (20-14, 12-2 CC) scratched out a run in the third and another in the fourth as starter Nara Spriggs kept the vaunted Swarthmore offense off the board. The Garnet got a run back in the sixth as freshman Christine Sendelsky scored on a single by junior Kelly Siano.
Swarthmore had the tying run on third in the top of the seventh, but Haverford reliever Julia Iodice got Swarthmore senior Danielle Miller to fly out to to end the game.
Haverford used some two-out magic to take an early lead in game two. Sarah Nagle reached on a bunt single, stole second, and scored on a Lindsey Sullivan single; the score was 1-0 through one frame.
Swarthmore started Emily Walz got the Fords in order in the second but ran into trouble in the third as the hosts scored three times. An Erica Davies two-run triple was the big blow. Garnet junior righthander Marianne Klingaman came on with the bags full and two outs and got Adriane Theis to ground to third to keep the margin a managable 4-0.
Klingaman went on to throw three scoreless innings, but four runs was more than enough for Haverford freshman Becky Garibotto, who improved to 7-3. Garibotto went the distance, allowing a run and five hits, walking and striking out one.
The Garnet got their run on the fourth inning when shortstop Katie Gold '08 reached on an error as Klingman crossed the plate. With two on and two out, Garibotto got Kelly Siano '07 to foul out, ending the threat.
After going down in order in the fifth and sixth frames, Swarthmore put two on once again in their last at-bat, but Garibotto came up big once again, coaxing a groundout to third from freshman Kristin Caspar.
Walz (5-5) took the loss, allowing four runs on six hits in 2.2 innings.
Miller finished the day with a team-high three hits in seven trips.
Even after the day's losses, the Garnet hold their playoff destiny in their hands. Swarthmore is tied for the fourth and final spot with McDaniel (7-7), with a home doubleheader with Franklin & Marshall on Thursday and then a twin bill at the Green Terror on Saturday. If Swarthmore wins out, they will earn the first Centennial softball playoff berth in school history. Thursday's twinbill gets going at 3:30 p.m. on Clothier Fields.