Garnet Sweep Past Bullets
GETTYSBURG, Pa. -- Senior Ashley Brandt and freshman Michele Perch had four hits as the Swarthmore softball team extended its win streak to five games by sweeping Gettysburg in a Centennial Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon.
The Garnet (15-7 overall, 5-1 CC) used a domination pitching performance from Alexandra Zelaski '09 to win game one 3-1 and then withstood a late Gettysburg rally in the second game to win 9-6.
Zelaski (5-2) allowed one run on five hits in seven innings to lower her season ERA to 2.83. Her only blemish was a lead-off home run to Bullets leftfielder Heather Sagaities. The Garnet offense picked Zelaski up with a run in the second as Perch singled and scored on passed ball.
Swarthmore added two more runs in the sixth to give Zelaski a nice cushion. Sophomore Christine Sendelsky reached on a fielder's choice and moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt by Monica Cody '10. Freshman Kathryn Riley walked and junior Katie Gold drove both runs in with a double to left-center.
Brandt, Gold, and designated player Dhalia Perez all collected two base hits for the Garnet.
Riley took the hill for Swarthmore in the second game and the Bullets (11-9 overall, 2-4 CC) took an early lead once again using a single and a triple to go ahead 1-0.
Swarthmore answered immediately with three runs, highlighted by Brandt's leadoff triple. The Garnet picked up another score in the fifth and three more in the sixth to build a 7-1 lead. Three singles and two walks in the top of the seventh put the game seeming out of reach with the visitors up 9-1.
Gettyburg made things interesting in their last at bat as Sagaities hit a bases-loaded triple as the Bullets pushed five runs across. Riley got Meg Gorusch to fly out to end the game, ending the threat.
Riley (7-0) struck out four batters while allowing only four hits to remain undefeated in 2007.
Perch led the Garnet offense with two hits and three runs batted in while Brandt picked up two more hits and scored three times.
The Garnet travel next to Washington College on Tuesday, April 17 for a Centennial doubleheader at 3:00 p.m.