Softball: Garnet In Playoffs with Win
WESTMINSTER, Md. - Junior Kelly Siano ripped a two-out two-run single to fuel a four-run sixth inning as Swarthmore defeated McDaniel 5-3 in the second game of a Centennial doubleheader on Sunday afternoon. The victory earns Swarthmore (22-15, 9-7 CC) its first Centennial playoff berth in the program's history.
The Green Terror (21-19, 8-8 CC) won the first game 5-0 behind a complete game six-hitter from starting pitcher Nichol Moeller and a second-inning home run from catcher Emily Trainor. The Green Terror also receive a playoff berth with the split vs. Swarthmore, earning the fourth seed to extend their playoff appearance streak to 13 years.
Freshman Swarthmore right-hander Emily Walz (5-6) took the loss is game one, allowing four earned runs on six hits while striking out three. Garnet senior catcher Christina Procacci led the offense with two hits in three at bats.
The Green Terror win in game one was their 25th consecutive victory over Swarthmore. The Garnet remained winless in Centennial play versus McDaniel (and before that Western Maryland), with the last Swarthmore win against the Green Terror coming in 1983.
Needless to say, Swarthmore's backs were against the wall in the second game. The writing was right there for all to see: 23 years gone since a win against the Green Terror, the team was picked eighth out of nine in the conference pre-season poll, and now stood one defeat away from the end of the season.
But if we have learned anything from the 2006 Garnet softball team, it is to never say 'never'. Never led the conference in hitting - done. Never got 10 wins from a starting pitcher - done. Never hit three home runs in a game - done. And never been in the Centennial playoffs....keep reading.
Swarthmore junior starter Marianna Klingaman locked up with McDaniel's Mary Abrams in a pitchers' duel that kept the game scoreless through the first five frames. Abrams, a two-time All-Centennial selection at second base, allowed only three Swarthmore base runners through five and retired Garnet sophomore Dahlia Perez on a pop out and freshman Kristin Caspar on strikes to start the sixth. Abrams then plunked Procacci, listed in the top 15 in Division III with 0.24 hit by pitch per game ratio and Centennial leader with a .513 on-base percentage at week's onset , to continue the inning. Freshman Lauren Walker followed with an infield hit and senior Danielle Miller hit a single through the left side to load the bases. Swarthmore freshman sensation Christine Sendelsky drew a walk to break the scoreless tie and sophomore Katie Gold drove in Walker with a single up the middle. Siano kept the two-out rally going, driving home two runs with a base hit to left field, giving Swarthmore a 4-0 lead.
The Green Terror got back in the game with a pair of home runs off Klingaman in the bottom of the sixth. Jess Smith led of the inning with her first home run of the season and one out later Whitney Williams smacked a two-run dinger, her fourth of the year, to cut the Garnet lead to 4-3.
Swarthmore head coach Renee Clarke sensed a change was needed and went to the bullpen, bringing in freshman right-hander Alexandra Zelaski to put out the fire. Zelaski took care of business, getting the final two outs to preserve Swarthmore's lead going into the final inning.
The Garnet bats shortened in the top of the seventh, adding an insurance run with some small-ball. Perez singled to center to lead off the inning and then Caspar pushed over pinch runner Stephanie Rogan '06 with a sacrifice bunt. Rogan advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Procacci's RBI single to give Swarthmore a 5-3 lead.
Zelaski took the hill in the bottom of the inning and got McDaniel's Karyn Curley to pop up to second for the first out. Diana Rosemier reached on an error before Zelaski fanned Jessica Smith for the second out. The Green Terror put another runner on when Abrams singled to center field, giving McDaniel two on, two out and the Centennial's leading power hitter, Trainor (seven HRs, 30 RBIs, .673 slugging %) at the plate. Zelaski, toed the rubber with the season on the line and made perhaps the biggest pitch in recent Garnet softball history, striking out Trainer to end the game, putting Swarthmore into the playoffs.
Klingaman (7-4) earned the win, pitching 5.1 innings allowing three runs on six hits and Zelaski picked up her first collegiate save by allowing only one hit in 1.2 innings of relief with a pair of strike outs. The seven wins for Klingaman is a career-high.
Miller led Swarthmore with three hits and a run scored while Siano added a base hit and two RBIs. Procacci added a hit, scored once, and drove in her 21st run (a career-high) of the season while Gold reached the 30-RBI mark, tying Trainor for second-best in the Centennial.
Abrams (4-11) took the loss for McDaniel, tossing seven innings, allowing five runs on nine hits while striking out three.
Swarthmore earn the third seed in the 2006 Centennial Conference Playoffs and will play No. 2-seed Ursinus at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 6 at top seed Haverford College. Click here for the 2006 Centennial Conference Softball Championship site with all the latest playoff information.