NAPLES, Fla.—Swarthmore College Softball finished its 2017 spring break trip to Florida with a 6-2 record following Thursday's split doubleheader. The Garnet doubled up Bridgewater State College 8-4 but were edged in game two 2-1 by Rivier University.
The Garnet recorded double digit hits in both games, nudging their season average of hits per game up to 9.6. As a team, Swarthmore is batting .329 and is holding opponents to .269 from the plate.
Hannah Thompson and
Gabriella Natoli collected four hits each on the day. These two lead the team in batting this season with Natoli hitting .474 and Thompson hitting .436.
Kennedy Kings, who had three hits Thursday, joins Natoli and Thompson in the plus-.400 club, batting .412 for the year.
GAME ONE: Bridgewater St. 4, Swarthmore 8
Two big innings set up the Garnet for success against Bridgewater St. The Garnet exploded for five runs in the fourth and then three more in the sixth. Swarthmore had been trailing 3-0 entering the bottom of the fourth.
In the bottom of that frame, Swarthmore's
Emilie Morse and
Kennedy Kings connected for important doubles, with Kings' plating two runners. The Garnet loaded the bases with one out in the fourth and
Elizabeth Curcio drove in the first run with a single to center field. Kings then pounced on a pitch as the next better, smacking the ball through the left side to score a pair of runs. The Garnet added a run on an infield single by Natoli and then another run on a Bridgewater St. error.
Bridgewater St. pulled within one run in the sixth, but Swarthmore added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth. After Thompson legged out an infield single to load the bases,
Marisa Mancini unloaded them with a triple to right field which upped Swarthmore's lead to 8-4.
Frankie Ponziani made the start in the circle, throwing three innings and striking out two batters.
Emily Bowman pitched the next four innings in relief, striking out six to earn her third win of the year. Bowman struck out three batters in the seventh.
GAME TWO: Rivier 1, Swarthmore 2
In the second game, Swarthmore collected 11 hits, but struggled to bring runners home, stranding 12 on base. Swarthmore loaded the bases with no one out in the bottom of the second. Two runners were forced out at the plate before Natoli drove in Curcio from third with a single through the left side.
Swarthmore loaded the bases with one out in the fourth, but again had a runner forced out at home and left the inning scoreless.
Meanwhile in the circle,
Mary Olesnavich was pitching a gem, throwing a no-hitter through five innings. Olesnavich struck out the side in the third inning and in the fourth, struck out two batters and showed some quick reflexes by catching a line drive smashed right back to her in the circle. Rivier finally got to Olesnavich with two outs in the fifth, recording two hits and two unearned runs.
Rivier threatened to do more damage in the seventh by loading the bases, but Kings made a forceout at third to end the inning. The Garnet threatened in the seventh with two base hits, but couldn't bring the tying run home.
Swarthmore returns home from Florida on Friday and has until March 18 for its next game.
