Sunday Sweep for Softball
SWARTHMORE, Pa. -- Garnet second baseman Christine Sendelsky '09 rapped out five hits and scored four times while pitchers Alexandra Zelaski '09 and Kathryn Riley '10 allowed just one run in a Swarthmore sweep of a softball doubleheader from Penn State-Berks Sunday afternoon at Clothier Fields.
Swarthmore (8-7) claimed victory in the first game, 7-1, and then needed just five innings to earn a 10-0 win in the second affair.
The Garnet spotted the Nittany Lions a run in the second inning by failing to execute bunt coverage. Swarthmore responded with a lead-off hit by Sendelsky (Edison, N.J. / John Stevens) in the bottom of the inning. Freshman shortstop Elizabeth Cushing (Middletown, Del. / Padua Academy) pushed Sendelsky over with a bunt and reached on a field error by Penn State-Berks. Sendelsky came home on an RBI grounder hit to the right side of the infield off the bat of catcher Michele Perch ’10 (Kinnelon, N.J. / Kinnelon), tying the game at 1-1.
Swarthmore flashed some leather in the third inning. Senior centerfielder Lauren Walker (Fallston, Md. / The Hotchkiss School [CT]) made a diving catch on a full run, tracking down a sure double in the left-centerfield gap. True to the old adage, Walker led off the next inning by smoking a single to left, igniting a five-run inning for the Garnet. Swarthmore showed off its speed, with Walker, Kira Kern ’11 (Newtown, Pa. / Council Rock North), Kristin Caspar ’09 (Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. / Briarcliff) and Sendelsky accounting for four stolen bases. Perch smacked the big hit of the inning, humming a double to the right-field fence to drive in Sendelsky for a 6-1 Swarthmore lead.
The Garnet tacked on another run in the when Sendlesky drove in Caspar with a humpback single to right field.
Zelaski (Middleburg Heights, Ohio / Midpark) improved to 3-4 on the season, pitching 7.0 innings while allowing just the unearned run on six hits with five strikeouts.
The Swarthmore offense was again clicking in the second game as doubles by Riley, Sendelsky and Walker led to six runs in the second frame and an 8-0 lead.
Riley (4-3) was a force in the pitching circle, allowing just two hits with six strikeouts and no walks, earning her third shut out of the season.
Caspar (above) finished the afternoon with four hits in six at-bats, scoring four times with one RBI. Kern was a perfect 3-for-3 in the second game, scoring two times with two stolen bases from the lead-off spot.
The Garnet make a quick trip to Widener on March 24 at 5:00 p.m., before returning home to open up the Conference slate. Swarthmore will find out early on where they stand in the Centennial as potential playoff teams Dickinson (March 28) and defending champion Ursinus (March 31) come to Clothier Fields.