Garnet Inch Closer to Playoff Berth, Split with the Fords
SWARTHMORE, Pa.-- Swarthmore sophomore Christine Sendelsky collected three hits, two RBIs, and a stolen base as Swarthmore (19-11, 9-5 CC) split a doubleheader with rival Haverford Tuesday afternoon at Clothier Fields, winning handily by a score of 10-2 (5 innings) in the first game but coming up short in a 5-4 loss in the nightcap.
The Garnet offense began the first contest on fire, scoring four runs and batting around in the first inning. The first four batters reached base on singles, including an RBI base hit by Sendelsky to rightfield that plated Lauren Walker '09. Later that inning with the bases loaded, senior first baseman Kelly Siano walked to force in Ashley Brandt '07, and Michele Perch '10 singled to knock in freshman pitcher Kathryn Riley. A wild pitch brought home Sendelsky, capping off a four-run opening frame.
Swarthmore's offensive onslaught continued in the second inning, in which five more runs crossed the plate. The hit parade was highlighted by a double by Sendelsky and back-to-back RBI singles to leftfield by Siano and Perch. Siano finished the game one-for-two with a single, walk, two RBIs and a run scored, while Perch was 2-3 with two singles, two RBIs, and a run scored at the plate.
Riley earned her tenth victory of the season, surrendering two runs on four hits with one strikeout. With this win, Riley became only the fourth pitcher in Garnet history to register double-digit victories in a season.
Haverford (17-13, 7-7 CC) mounted a last-ditch offensive effort in the fifth inning, but a fine defensive play by Brandt ended any threat. After one run had crossed the plate on an RBI groundout by Dana Irshay '09, junior third baseman Lindsey Sullivan fouled out to rightfielder Brandt. After she reeled in the ball, she fired a bullet to Perch at home to throw out Cassandra Searls '10, who was tagging from third base.
With the game well in hand, the Garnet closed out the Fords in the fifth inning. After Brandt led off the inning with a walk and advanced two bases on a bunt single by Riley, Sendelsky knocked her in on a textbook sacrifice fly to leftfield.
In game two, the Garnet jumped out to a two-run lead in the second inning, following an RBI double by designated player Marianne Klingaman '07 and a single by sophomore Kristin Caspar that plated Klingaman. Klingaman led all Garnet hitters in the second game, going two-for-three with a single, double, run batted in, and run scored.
The Fords retaliated in the top of the third inning, ignited by a leadoff single by senior Amy Havassy, who later scored on a wild pitch, and a double by Searls. A two-out double by Natalie Richman '09 knocked in Searls to tie the game at two.
In the bottom half of the third, the Garnet tacked on two more runs. After a leadoff bunt single by Brandt, who then stole second, Riley singled to center. Both Brandt and Riley would eventually score on a fielding error by the second baseman, making the score 4-2 in favor of the Garnet. These four runs were all that the Garnet bats could muster off of Haverford pitcher Becky Garibotto '09 (9-3), who earned the complete game victory, giving up eight hits and two walks.
The Fords nibbled away at the two-run deficit, scoring a run in the fifth inning courtesy of an RBI double by Sullivan and another in the sixth on an RBI single by Garibotto.
With the game tied a four in the seventh inning, the Fords scored what would turn out to be the winning run on a sacrifice fly to leftfield by Taylor Zavadsky '10, scoring Sullivan who had led off the inning with a double. Despite a one-out single by Sendelsky in the bottom of the seventh, the Garnet bats could not force home the tying run.
Riley (10-2) took the loss for the Garnet in her 1.2 innings of relief duty for starting pitcher Alexandra Zelaski '09.
With the victory in game one, the Garnet matched the number of Centennial Conference wins earned last year (nine) and now sit in a tie for second place with Dickinson (winners of two over F&M Tuesday) in the CC standings. Swarthmore maintains control of its own destiny and can clinch a playoff spot with a victory on Saturday against McDaniel. The Garnet look to replicate last year's performance against the Green Terror, in which they pulled out a crucial victory on the last day of last season to put them into the playoffs. Saturday's final doubleheader at Clothier Fields is Senior Day for the Garnet with the first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m.