Myrtle Beach, S.C. – Swarthmore pounded out eight doubles, including three from Nicole Aaron '14 who added seven RBIs, and Christen Boas Hayes '16 and Melissa O'Connor '14 combined to throw 10 2/3 hitless innings as part of a double-header sweep of Juniata (13-8) and Albertus Magnus (4-1) on Wednesday from the Snowbird Tournament.  The Garnet rallied from deficits of 4-0 and 8-3 against the Eagles, scoring the final 10 runs of the contest, before handing the Falcons their first loss of the season. 

Game 1:

The Garnet found itself in an early hole against Juniata as a single, error, and walk loaded the bases with no outs against Suness Jones '16.  Jones retired the clean-up hitter on a strikeout before Meg Decker unloaded on a grand slam to straightaway centerfield to put the Eagles up 4-0. 

Jones struck out the side and the Garnet answered with three runs of their own in the bottom of the first to start the 2:45 marathon affair.  Kate Smayda '13 reached second on an error to lead off and Laurie Sellars '15 singled her to third.  A wild-pitch moved Sellars into scoring position and Aaron started her titanic day with a two-run single up the middle.  One batter later, Rose Pitkin '15 doubled up the alley to the right-center wall, though she was cut down at the plate trying to score on a wild pitch later in the inning.

Aided by four Swarthmore errors, Juniata added four more in the top of the second to chase Jones.  Boas Hayes entered with one-on and one out and after surrendering a single to the first batter she faced, the Eagles would not record another hit for the remainder of the game. 

Down 8-3, the Garnet pulled two back in their half of the second.  Boas Hayes drew a lead-off walk and was sacrificed to second to bring up the top of the lineup.  Smayda singled to the first-baseman Holly Bettinger whose throw to the bag was errant sending home the pitcher to make the score 8-4.  A Sellars single and Aaron double later and the score was 8-5.

Swarthmore against scored a pair in the bottom of the third.  Boas Hayes continued to help her own cause with a howling double to center, scoring on a throwing error by the catcher on a stolen base attempt by Erin Curtis '13 following her walk.  An Aaron groundout brought in Curtis and the Garnet to within one.

It would be the fifth when Swarthmore took its first lead of the day.  Smayda rolled a seven-foot single out in front of home plate and stole second, scoring on another Aaron double, this to right-center.  The next batter Danielle Seltzer '13 doubled to the same fence panel in the alley to put Swarthmore in front 9-8. 

With the lead, the Garnet brought in O'Connor, and in true Enter Sandman fashion, she slammed the door facing six batters and recording six strikeouts.  The Garnet tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single from Curtis, two-RBI double to the leftfield line by Aaron, and RBI single off the bat of Seltzer for the 13-8 final.

Game 2:

O'Connor continued her sizzling start with the ball to start Game 2.  With two outs in the top of the first, the Falcons put a pair on with an error and a walk.  But the junior struck out Melissa Manning with a thorough paint-job on the outside corner to end the threat. 

While O'Connor was setting down Albertus Magnus hitters in order through the second, third, fourth, and fifth, the Garnet crossed a pair of runs to go in front.  In the second, Seltzer led off with a single and was sacrificed to second by Pitkin.  Jones rifled a single into left and classmate Clara Obstfeld '16 rounded to the shortstop to bring in the first run of the game.

Obstfeld would bring in the second run as well two innings later as this time, her fielder's choice groundout brought in Seltzer after the senior's double and Pitkin's single to right.  The Garnet added an insurance run in the sixth on a Pitkin double and Jones single, and in the bottom of the inning, Albertus Magnus finally broke the no-hit streak with three consecutive singles to start the inning.  But the Falcons failed to score when the lead-off runner was gunned down by Seltzer trying to steal second (with a nifty short-hop pick by Obstfeld at the bag) and O'Connor induced a pair of grounders to end the threat. 

Swarthmore's final run of the game crossed in the seventh on singles by Aaron and Seltzer, with Aaron having advanced to second on a wild throw to first.  Sarah Coe-Odess '15 also picked up her first career hit with a laced single into center. 

With seven hits to start 2013, Smayda has tied Katherine Gold '08 for fourth-most in program history (129). 

Aaron's seven RBIs give her a team-leading 10 on the year.  O'Connor has now struck out 50 batters in 24 innings to start the season while allowing only eight hits.