Perch, Riley Reel in Swat Sweep On Senior Day
SWARTHMORE, Pa. -- Swarthmore pitcher Kathryn Riley '10 tossed her third career no-hitter and classmate Michele Perch accounted for five hits and three RBIs as the Garnet softball team swept McDaniel on Senior Day Sunday afternoon at Clothier Fields.
Garnet senior captain Alexandra Zelaski (Middleburg Heights, Ohio / Midpark) tossed a three-hit shutout as Swarthmore won the first game, 8-0, in six innings. It was Riley’s turn to dazzle in the circle for the second game, fanning three hitters on the way to a 4-1 Garnet victory.
The Garnet conclude the 2009 Centennial schedule on a three-game win streak, finishing 5-11 in Conference (currently 15-22 overall). The Green Terror wrap up the Conference with 3-13 mark and stand at 13-22 overall.
Emotions ran high at the start of the afternoon as the Garnet softball team sought to honor one of the best hitters in school history, Swarthmore senior captain Christine Sendelsky (Edison, N.J. / John P. Stevens). Sendelsky saw her career come to a close in late March when she broke a bone sliding into home at Widener and with McDaniel’s heart-felt consent, Sendelsky took her customary spot at second base for one final time Sunday afternoon. Zelaski (pictured left) pitched out on the first offering and Swarthmore head coach Renee Clarke subbed Sendelsky out as the Garnet fans gave the All-Region infielder a standing ovation as she left the field.
The emotions still ran high in Swarthmore first at-bats with the home team scoring four runs in the first inning off Green Terror starter Christina Morley. Perch (Kinnelon, N.J. / Kinnelon) had the big hit of the inning, cracking a two-out single to centerfield to drive in two runs.
Swarthmore scored twice more in the third inning to open a 6-0 advantage. Infielder Zoe Hendrickson ’11 (Strafford, N.H. / Coe-Brown Northwood Academy) drove in freshman shortstop Elizabeth Cushing (Middletown, Del. / Padua Academy) with a single up the middle to give Zelaski a six-run lead.
Zelaski (4-10) kept the Green Terror off-balance for 6.0 innings, allowing just three hits for her eighth career shutout. Zelaski fanned 11 Green Terror batters, tying her career-high set in 2006 (she turned the trick twice), eclipsing the 200-strikeout milestone for a career.
Five Garnet batters accounted for two hits in the first game. Leadoff hitter Kira Kern ’10 (Newtown, Pa. / Council Rock North) was awesome, slapping a pair of singles while swiping her 13th base of the season. Walker reached base three times, going 2-for-3 with a walk, stolen base, RBI and a run scored. Perch (above) was 2-for-3 with two RBIs while Riley (Dagsboro, Del. / Indian River) kept up her recent hot streak by going 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI.
Between the two games, the Garnet underclassmen honored the four seniors (below), outfielder Kristin Caspar ’09 (Briarcliff, N.Y. / Briarcliff Manor), Sendelsky, Walker and Zelaski, along with their parents, with flowers, balloons and an entertaining song-and-dance.
Once the fanfare settled, the Swarthmore bats made noise each inning with base hits. The Garnet came through with a pair of runs in the third inning. Walker sent a high fly to left, driving in Perch with a sacrifice fly and Riley followed with base hit to push Hendrickson across the plate.
The Green Terror cut it to 2-1 in the top of the fourth as the Swarthmore defense came unraveled behind Riley. The junior right-hander worked her way out of a bases-loaded jam by fanning one hitter before inducing another to pop out to Cushing at shortstop.
The Garnet offense tacked on a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. Three straight batters reach base safely with Perch driving in Cushing with a double to deep left. After a ground out, Kern drilled a base hit to center, bringing Melissa Emmerson ’11 (Ringwood, N.J. / Lakeland Regional) across the plate for a 4-1 Garnet lead.
Riley (9-9) was on top of her game from the start, tossing all 7.0 innings without allowing a base hit while striking out three. The no-hitter is believed to be the first in Centennial play since Ursinus hurler Erin Skinner pitched one against Swarthmore in 2002 (according to the Conference web site). Riley (left) posted two no-hitters in 2008, one versus Wilson and the other was at Rosemont.
Perch led the offense with a perfect 3-for-3 effort, scoring once while driving in another run, Walker swiped another base in the nightcap, bringing her school-record career total to 55.
Swarthmore has a non-conference doubleheader with King’s College scheduled for this Tuesday afternoon at Clothier Fields. Check back to the web site for any schedule changes.