Garnet Walk to Sweep of PSU-Berks
SWARTHMORE, Pa. -- Swarthmore sophomore Lauren Walker went 5-for-8 and scored three runs while Garnet hurlers Kathryn Riley '10 and Alexandra Zelaski '09 did not allow an earned run as the hometown team swept Penn State-Berks in the 2007 home opener Sunday afternoon at Clothier Fields.
Swarthmore (7-3), playing for the first time in 10 days, won the first game 6-1 and cruised in the nightcap 10-0. The game was scheduled to be played at the PSU-Berks campus on Saturday, but poor weather forced the move to Swarthmore. The Garnet coaching staff, players and Swarthmore's facilities department worked hard this week to get the field ready for game-time after recent snow and rain.
The first game featured a dominant pitching performance by Riley and a big inning by the Garnet bats. With Swarthmore ahead 2-1, senior Melissa LaVan led off the inning with a single. Junior Emily Walz followed with a towering double to left field and sophomore Kristin Caspar plated both runners with single up the middle for a 4-1 Garnet lead. Walker reached base with a perfect bunt up the first base line (her fourth hit of the game). Sophomore infielder Christine Sendelsky busted the game wide-open with a bases-loaded single two batters later. Sendelsky drove the ball back through the box, scoring Walker and freshman Michele Perch to give Swarthmore a commanding 6-1 lead.
Riley (3-0) overwhelmed the PSU-Berks hitters, striking out 11 batters while allowing only three hits for her second shutout of the season. Riley has yet to allow an earned run in 24 innings pitched in her brief college career and leads the team with 23 strikeouts.
Walker was a perfect 4-for-4 in the first game, including a perfect bunt for a base hit, to go along with three stolen bases. Sendelsky drove in three runs while posting a 2-for-4 effort at the dish while LaVan was also perfect (3-for-3) with a run scored.
The second match-up had PSU-Berks as the home team on the scoreboard but Swarthmore was the one cozy in the confines. With Zelaski breezing through the PSU-Berks lineup (five hits, five innings), the Garnet only needed a 10-run second inning to pick up their fifth consecutive win.
Zelaski tied Riley for the team-high with her third win of the season, picking up her first shut-out of 2007 and fourth of her career. Offensively, Caspar was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
The Garnet will be on the road for three of their next four match-ups. The team travels down Route 320 to face Widener at 4:00 p.m. on Tues., March 27 and then head to Arcadia on Thursday, March 29 for a 3:00 p.m. twin-bill. Swarthmore will return to Clothier Fields on Tues., April 3 for a 3:00 p.m. dance with Rosemont before opening up Centennial Conference play at Ursinus on Thursday, April 5 at 3:00 p.m.