SWARTHMORE, Pa. - The Swarthmore College softball team dropped the opening game of the Centennial Tournament versus Gettysburg College, 4-1, on Thursday. The Garnet will have to win out this weekend to avoid elimination. 

After taking the lead in the fourth inning, the Garnet were plagued by four unearned runs in the fifth. The Bullets did not record a hit in the fifth as they took advantage of four Swarthmore errors. Lane Barron held her own in a pitcher's duel with two strikeouts and just three hits allowed in five innings of work.

Olivia McClammy drove home the team's lone run with an RBI double in the fourth inning. The Garnet combined for five hits as a team, while Gettysburg totaled just four hits. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
- Both pitchers coasted through the first couple innings. Barron erased a leadoff double in the second after doubling off the runner at first base on a line drive up the middle to end the inning. The first-year then escaped a two-out, bases-loaded jam in the third with a flyout to center field. 

- For the second-straight inning, Barron stranded a runner in scoring position after hanging another zero in the fourth. In the bottom half, the Garnet offense broke through with a leadoff single from Jordan Jackson for the team's first hit. McClammy then doubled home Jackson for the game's first run. Avery McClure then followed with an infield hit, but the Garnet stranded a pair in scoring position to end the inning, 1-0.

- Gettysburg took control of the game in a nightmarish fifth inning for the Garnet. The Bullets rallied four runs on zero hits and four errors without hitting a ball out of the infield, 4-1. 

- The Garnet threatened in the sixth inning after McClammy was hit by a pitch with two outs. Bertrand kept the line moving with a single through the left side, but the next batter grounded out to end the inning. 

- Emily Bertrand helped keep the Garnet within striking distance with two scoreless innings. However, the Garnet were sent down 1-2-3 in the seventh to end the game.

GARNET OFFENSIVE LEADERS
McClammy: 1-for-2, RBI, 2B, HBP
Jackson: 1-for-2, R, BB

GARNET PITCHING LEADERS
Barron (L, 13-2) 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 2 SO
Bertrand: 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 SO

UP NEXT
The Garnet (22-9) battle the host Washington College in an elimination game on Saturday morning.