Seniors Terrorize McDaniel in Sweep, Garnet Returning to CC Playoffs
SWARTHMORE, Pa. -- Marianne Klingaman '07 tossed a complete-game victory and Julie Monaghan '07 smacked a game-winning double, as the Garnet reached the Centennial Conference playoffs by sweeping a doubleheader from the Green Terror of McDaniel College, 6-3 and 4-3, at Clothier Fields Saturday afternoon.
In the first game, McDaniel (15-19 overall, 7-9 CC) took the lead in the third inning, plating three runs off of an infield single by Kelli Workmesiter'09 and RBI singles by catcher Emily Trainor '10 and pitcher Jess Smith '09.
These were the only runs surrendered by victorious Garnet freshman pitcher Kathryn Riley (11-2), who threw a complete-game four-hitter while registering seven strikeouts. With her eleventh victory, Riley is tied for second-most wins in a season for a Garnet pitcher (11) with Kim Mullin (1985) and Alexandra Zelaski '09 (2006).
The Garnet bats retaliated in the bottom of the third inning. Following an error and a base on balls that put sophomores Kristin Caspar and Lauren Walker on base, senior Ashley Brandt executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance them to second and third. After Riley walked to load the bases, sophomore Christine Sendelsky smoked an RBI single to leftfield, scoring Caspar. Siano followed up with a single of her own to knock in Walker. Riley then scored on an RBI groundout by catcher Michele Perch '10 to tie the game at three. Perch also contributed a solid game behind the plate, throwing out two baserunners who were attempting to steal second base.
Swarthmore (21-11 overall, 11-5 CC) took the lead for good in the fourth inning. Both Caspar and Walker reached on singles, were advanced to second and third on a sacrifice bunt by Brandt, and later scored on an error by the Green Terror second baseman to give the Garnet a 5-3 lead.
In the fifth inning, Garnet senior captain Kelly Siano tacked on another run by smoking a home run over the right-centerfield fence. With that round-tripper, Siano moved into a tie on for most dingers on the team with Riley (3).
With the 6-3 victory in the first game, the Garnet clinched a spot in the Centennial Conference playoffs for the second season in a row, marking the first time that the Swarthmore softball program has accomplished that feat.
In the second contest, Swarthmore was able to pull out some last-inning heroics to defeat the Green Terror, riding the arm of Klingaman to complete the sweep of the Green Terror on Senior Day and improve the team's seeding in the Centennial Conference playoffs.
The Garnet bats were silent through most of the second contest, as McDaniel pitcher Christina Morley (1-7) surrendered no runs on four hits through the first six innings of the game.
Down three runs and on the verge of being shut out for the first time this season, the Garnet bats exploded in the bottom of the seventh inning. After a leadoff single by Sendelsky and a towering double by Katie Gold '08, Siano ripped a single to centerfield that scored Sendelsky. Perch followed with an RBI double to bring home Gold. Monaghan completed the comeback with a double to left-centerfield that plated Siano and Perch, giving the Garnet the 4-3 victory.
The Garnet were led offensively in the second game by Gold, who went two-for-three with two doubles and a run scored, and Perch, who contributed a single, double, RBI, and scored a run.
Klingaman (3-3) pitched through a couple of jams to pick up the victory, surrendering three runs on eight hits, while striking out three Green Terror batters. This win gives Klingaman twenty-one victories in her solid Garnet pitching career.
With this sweep over McDaniel, the Garnet finished their Centennial Conference play with an 11-5 record, surpassing last year's record for most conference wins (9). This also marks the first time in the program's history that Swarthmore has made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.
As the second-seeded team—the highest seed in the program's history— the Garnet will face the Gettysburg (#3 seed) to begin play at the Centennial Conference playoffs at top-seed Ursinus College on Saturday, May 5th. First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 a.m.