Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

CAPE CORAL, Fla. – Seniors Chelsea Matzko and Emma Madarasz each recorded four hits and drove in a combined five runs to lead the Swarthmore College softball team to an 11-2 victory over Mount Mary in its season opener on Sunday, March 8 at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic. The Garnet ended the day on a high note by following up with a 10-7 triumph over Rockford.
 
Swarthmore (2-0) got its offense started quickly in the opener against Mount Mary by plating two runs in the top of the first inning. Senior Laurie Sellers reached on an error with one out, stole second, and came home on an RBI single by Matzko. Shortly afterwards, Matzko scored from third while junior Christen Boas Hayes was gunned down attempting to steal second.
 
After Mount Mary (1-2) scored once in the bottom of the first, the Garnet got their bats going again in the third and regained their two-run lead. Matzko hit a leadoff double down the left field line, and sophomore Sara Planthaber belted an RBI single to score the senior slugger and make it 3-1.
 
Swarthmore then got all the insurance it needed in the top of the fourth to earn its first victory of the 2015 campaign. Madarasz blasted a two-run double and scored two plays later on a Matzko single down the line in left. The Garnet tacked on five more runs in the late innings to earn the convincing win.
 
Boas Hayes picked up the victory in the circle for Swarthmore by giving up four hits and two runs, including one earned, over four frames. She also set a career high with five strikeouts and issued only one free pass to first. Freshman Frankie Ponziani relieved Boas Hayes and hurled three shutout innings while striking out five and surrendering just one hit in her collegiate debut. Nikki Festge of Mount Mary suffered the loss after yielding nine hits and six runs, including five earned, over three innings of work.

Later in the day, Swarthmore found itself in a 6-2 hole against Rockford through three innings before coming alive in the top of the fourth. Batting with the bases loaded and two outs, Matzko reached on an error by the Regent second baseman to score freshman Emily Bowman. Boas Hayes by belted a two-run single down the line in right, and junior Clara Obstfeld followed with an RBI double to center that tied the game at 6-all. Planthaber capped the five-run inning and gave the Garnet their first lead at 7-6 by singling up the middle.
 
After Rockford (1-1) tied the game by plating a run in the bottom of the fourth, Swarthmore added three insurance runs in the sixth to seal the victory and an undefeated day. Planthaber hit into a fielder's choice with the bases loaded to send home the eventual winning run before Ponziani, who picked up two saves in the circle, drove in Boas Hayes on the next play. Obstfeld scored the final insurance run when freshman Emily Bowman reached on a fielder's choice.
 
Freshman Mary Olesnavich won her collegiate pitching debut for Swarthmore after giving up just one hit and one run which was unearned in two frames of relief. Ponziani earned her second save of the day by throwing two scoreless innings to close out the game. Rockford's Matisyn Brinks took the loss after yielding three hits and three runs, including one earned, over three relief innings.
 
Swarthmore will take tomorrow off to regroup and returns to action on Tuesday, March 10 when it faces Wentworth at 9:00 a.m. and Drew at 11:00 a.m.