Garnet Softball Takes Two From Penn-State Berks, 5-3 and 13-5
READING, Pa. - It was a clean sweep for the Swarthmore College softball team, as the Garnet (6-8) took a pair of games from Penn-State Berks, topping the Lions 5-3 and 13-5 on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.
Junior Melissa Emmerson had a huge day at the plate for the Garnet, finishing the twinbill with four hits - including two doubles - and a team-high five RBI. Senior Michele Perch also added four hits for the Garnet, while junior Kira Kern and freshmen Angelica Sanchez and Emily Richardson each added three base knocks.
Emmerson finished the day with four hits and five runs batted in.
Freshman Isabel Sanchez (2-3) picked up the win in the first game, fanning four while allowing just two earned runs. Fellow freshman Kate Smayda (2-1) picked up the win in game two, striking out two while allowing three earned runs.
GAME 1
Down 3-0 heading into the fifth inning, the Garnet rallied for five runs over the final three innings to pull off the comeback win.
In both big innings, Emmerson came through in the clutch. With Swat trailing 3-0 with one out and two runners on in the fifth, Emmerson singled up the middle to bring home two runs -while advancing to third base on a PSU throwing error - cutting the deficit to 3-2. She would come home one batter later, thanks to RBI single from Richardson, tying the game 3-3 after the fifth inning.
In the decisive seventh, it was Emmerson again coming through when it mattered, as knocked home the game-winning RBI with a one-out double, bringing home freshman Danielle Seltzer to give the Garnet the lead it would never relenquish.
GAME 2
In the second contest, a seven-run explosion in the fourth inning was the difference, as the Garnet offense helped propel the team to the 13-5 win.
Ahead 4-3 in the fourth, Swarthmore scored seven runs on seven hits to break the game wide open. The Garnet opened the inning with five-consecutive hits to open the inning before the Lions could even record an out. Angelica Sanchez and Smayda got it started with back-to-back doubles to open the attack and were followed by singles from Kern, freshamn Erin Curtis and Perch, brining home four runs. Waen it was all said and done, Swat scored seven runs, building a 11-3 lead that would prove too be too much for PSU-Berks.
The Garnet return to action on Tuesday, hosting a doubleheader with Cabrini.