Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The Swarthmore College softball team began its spring break campaign with a pair of loss Sunday afternoon.  The Garnet bats were quiet in an 8-0 loss to Johnson & Wales University and  back-to-back homeruns gave Dakota State University the 5-2 win.

Game 1:
Johnson & Wales hammered nine hits in five innings of action and tallied early off a throwing error to defeat Swarthmore by an 8-0 score.

Three hits from Johnson & Wales and a throwing error by the infield, gave the visitors a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Pitcher Tayla Gardener singled to center in the opening at-bat and scored late in the inning on a throwing error. The lead continued to expand with back-to-back singles later in the first inning put another run on board for the Wildcats.

The Wildcats' hitting streak continued well into the second inning, rattling off four doubles to take a 6-0 lead. Another throwing error in the fifth gave the Wildcats' runners on the base, who then added two insurance runs for the 8-0 score as the game ended in five on the mercy rule.

Swarthmore managed only two hits and four base runners all game. Senior pitcher Melissa O'Connor recorded seven strikeouts in the five inning game.

Game 2:
Freshman shortstop Stephanie Mitchell homered twice to centerfield and was a strong arm for the infield to carry Dakota State University to a 5-2 victory over the Garnet.

Senior Sarina Lowe took the mound for the Garnet and finished with four strikeouts in the five innings pitched. After giving up a lead-off walk, Swarthmore's defense put out the Trojans in straight batters, finishing with a 6-3 from sophomore Clara Obstfeld to senior Rose Pitkin.

An error from third got senior Nicole Aaron on base in the bottom of the first followed by a single to left field from junior Chelsea Matzko's bat to put two baserunners on for the Garnet. Senior Rose Piktin managed to put the ball in play to move the runners up, but a field pop-up from Obstfeld closed the inning out, leaving two Garnet runners on base. 

In the second inning the bats on both sides came alive beginning with a lead-off homerun from Mitchell to give the Trojans a 1-0 lead. Junior catcher Emma Madarasz handled her second pop of the game and Pitkin grabbed a foul ball before a single towards left field followed by a walk put Dakota State in scoring position again. Lowe kept the runners at bay with a groundout to third to close the top of the inning with two Trojans left on base as Swarthmore trailed 1-0 on the turn.

The Garnet found life as Madarasz singled out to an open spot in left field for her first single of the season. She later stole second before junior Laurie Sellars singled towards left field and brought Madarasz home for Swarthmore's first run. Sellars then scored off freshman Jackie Pezzato's single up the middle for a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second.

The bats remained silent for the next three innings until Dakota State managed to find the sweet spot in the top of the fifth. With two outs and a runner on base after a walk, Elizabeth Rubalcava singled out to shortstop as Hill followed up the hitting streak with a three-run homerun to centerfield to reflect a 4-2 score. Mitchell, the Trojan next batter, put another ball over the centerfield fence to finalize all scoring.

Christen Boas Hayes relieved Lowe in the sixth, putting away three batters and allowing one hit.

Swarthmore returns to action tomorrow morning with a doubleheader against Bemidji State University and Bridgewater College.