GLENSIDE, Pa. - A solid start on the mound from junior Melissa O'Connor and a strong day at the plate from junior Rose Pitkin helped the Swarthmore College softball team (17-11) split with homestanding Arcadia on Thursday afternoon. The Knights (12-13) won the first game by a score of 8-1, while the Garnet rebounded to win second game 3-0.

O'Connor shut down the Knights' potent offense in the second contest, allowing no runs and just four hits to lead Swat to victory. Pitkin had one of her best days at the plate this season, finishing the doubleheader with four hits and three RBI. In the first game, she drilled a home run for Swarthmore's only run. Sophomore Chelsea Matzko and senior Danielle Seltzer each finished with two hits in the second game while senior Kate Smayda added a double.

While the recent trend had the Garnet winning the first game of its doubleheaders before dropping the second game, Swat flipped the script against Arcadia, rebounding from a tough loss in game one to earn a non-conference split and snap the Knights' six-game winning streak.

O'Connor took the mound in the second game and continued her all-conference type level of play, silencing the Knights' bats with five strikeouts while allowing just one runner to reach second base.

The Garnet bats got going in the top of the third inning. Smayda opened up the inning with a lead-off double and senior Erin Curtis followed that up with a single to centerfield. With runners at first and third and now two outs, Pitkin came though in the clutch with a double to left-center, giving Swat a 2-0 lead.

With O'Connor continuing to cruise, the Garnet added an insurance run in the top of fifth inning on a two-out RBI single from Matzko.

In the first game, the Knights offense overwhelmed starting pitcher Christen Boas Hayes (2-2). Jessica Wood and Leanda Helms both hit home runs to lead the Knights' offense. Pitkin accounted for Swarthmore's run with her solo shot in the sixth inning.

Swarthmore returns to Centennial Conference play on Saturday at Dickinson (1:00 p.m.)