COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – After rolling to a 7-1 victory in the opener, the Swarthmore College softball team rallied for two runs in the sixth inning to flip the lead and the Garnet went on to take game two, 2-1, for a Centennial Conference doubleheader sweep at Ursinus College on Thursday.
Swarthmore scored five runs over the first two innings for an early 5-0 lead in game one. That was all
Lilly Goldberg needed as she allowed just one hit in a complete-game victory. The Garnet offense was stifled through the first five innings of the nightcap but
Emily Bertrand hit a two-run double in the sixth to put Swarthmore in front.
Lane Barron tossed all seven innings and conceded just three hits, the only damage against her coming on a solo home run. The junior totaled a career-high 11 strikeouts.
Iris Barone went 4-for-8 at the plate for the Garnet with a walk, three stolen bases, and three runs.
Olivia McClammy was 3-for-6 with a double, four RBI, and two runs.
Regan Valenzuela,
Jordan Jackson,
Avery McClure, and Bertrand all tallied two hits with Bertrand and McClure each knocking in a pair of runs.
SWARTHMORE 7, URSINUS 1
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Swarthmore jumped on the Bears starting pitcher early, scoring three runs in the opening frame. Barone and Jackson reached to start the inning and both scored on a double by McClammy. McClure then singled to bring in McClammy.
- The Garnet added two more runs in the second. Swarthmore loaded the bases with two outs and McClammy recorded another two-RBI hit, this time a single through the left side to give the Garnet a 5-0 advantage and chase the Ursinus starter.
- Goldberg retired the first seven batters she faced before seeing her only blemish come in the third inning. The Bears put a runner on due to an error with one out. The runner stole second on a strike three at the plate then scored on a two-out single that fell into right field. It was the only hit allowed by Goldberg on the day.
- Swarthmore produced its final two runs in the sixth. Barone reached on a bunt single then stole second. Jackson doubled to left center to bring in Barone before scoring on a single by McClure.
- After allowing the run in the third, Goldberg sat down the final 13 hitters she faced to finish off her team-leading 10
th win of the season. It was the second straight outing in which the rookie permitted just one hit and the fourth time overall this year.
GARNET OFFENSIVE LEADERS
Hits: Four players 2
Runs: Barone 3
RBI: McClammy 4
Stolen Bases: Barone 2
GARNET PITCHING LEADERS
Goldberg: Win, 7.0 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 11 K
SWARTHMORE 2, URSINUS 1
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Ursinus struck first with a lead-off home run in the second. The Garnet struggled to get going at the plate, not recording a hit until there were two outs in the third. In the fifth, Swarthmore had a runner at second with two outs. Barone singled up the middle and the Garnet looked poised to even the score but the runner was thrown out at home plate and the Bears maintained their one-run edge.
- Despite giving up the run,
Lane Barron kept Swarthmore in the game, allowing just two hits through five innings in the pitcher's circle. The Garnet finally broke through in the sixth. Jackson drew a lead-off walk and went to second on an infield single by McClammy. McClure sacrificed the runners over for Bertrand, who came through with a double into the gap in right center to score both runners and put Swarthmore in front for the first time, 2-1.
- Ursinus aimed to bounce back in the bottom of the inning, registering a lead-off single. However,
Ava Babcock gunned down the runner trying to steal second and Barron retired the next two batters to keep the Garnet in control. Barron sat down the Bears in order in the seventh to complete her ninth victory of the campaign.
GARNET OFFENSIVE LEADERS
Hits: Barone, Bertrand 2
Runs: McClammy, Jackson 1
RBI: Bertrand 2
Stolen Bases: Barone 1
GARNET PITCHING LEADERS
Barron: Win, 7.0 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 11 K (career high)
UP NEXT
Swarthmore (21-7, 8-0 Centennial) is scheduled to battle No. 13 Gettysburg College on Saturday in a matchup of the final two conference unbeatens.
