LANCASTER, PA - The No. 22 Swarthmore College softball team locked up home-field advantage for the Centennial Tournament with a double-header sweep at Washington College on Tuesday. The Garnet won the opener 4-0, before capping off the day with a 9-4 triumph in the finale. 

Lilly Goldberg set the tone in the opener in her third shutout of the season. The sophomore improved her record to 14-3 behind seven-shutout innings, six strikeouts and no walks. 

The offense helped propel the Garnet to victory in game two. Swarthmore broke the game open with four runs in the sixth inning, headlined by a pair of RBI doubles from Emilee Espinoza and Avery McClure. Iris Castor was also exceptional in the circle, tossing five-scoreless innnings of relief. 

WASHINGTON 0, SWARTHMORE 4
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After a perfect frame from Goldberg, the Garnet offense responded with a run in the second inning. Espinoza lined a one-out double to right-center field, and then came home to score on a wild pitch, giving her squad a 1-0 edge. 

- Goldberg continued to cruise through the Shorewomen lineup with a couple 1-2-3 frames in the third and fourth innings. Washington then threatened in the fifth with a two-out double and a single, but Goldberg induced a flyout to escape the inning. 

- The Garnet added some insurance with three runs in the fourth. Espinoza singled home the first run, while Lia Fong brought in a couple with a two-run single up the middle, taking a 4-0 lead. Linnaea Rasmussen singled to open the rally, while Avery McClure followed with a walk. 

- Goldberg erased a leadoff double with a clean sixth inning. The sophomore then shut the door with a scoreless seventh to earn her fourth shutout of the season. The Shorewomen loaded the bases with one out on three-straight singles, but were sent down with a strikeout and a grounder to end the game. 

GARNET OFFENSIVE LEADERS
Barone: 3-for-4
Espinoza: 2-for-2, 2 R, RBI, 2B

GARNET PITCHING LEADERS
Goldberg: (W, 9-3) 7.0 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO


WASHINGTON 4, SWARTHMORE 9
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Swarthmore scored four runs in the opening frame to build an early advantage. Rasmussen plated the first run on a fielder's choice, while Serafina Tinio and Ava Babcock both singled in runs. Fong then put the finishing touches on the big inning with an RBI double, making it 4-0. 

- The Shorewomen got a run back in the bottom of the first, before knotting things up with a three-run second inning. Castor then took over in the third, tossing a much-needed 1-2-3 frame. 

- Fong singled to open the fourth inning, while Elisabeth O'Connor put a pair in scoring position with a double. The Garnet then squeaked a run across with a double-play groundout, taking a 5-4 lead. 

- Castor retired the side in the fifth, and then tossed another scoreless frame in the sixth. Swarthmore then provided some breathing room with a four-run sixth. The Garnet scored their first run on a wild pitch, while Espinoza doubled home a pair of runs. McClure then capped off the stanza with another RBI double, 9-4. 

- Castor was excellent as she blanked the Shorewomen in five-scoreless innings of relief. The rookie surrendered just three hits with four strikeouts and a walk. 

GARNET OFFENSIVE LEADERS
Espinoza: 1-for-3, RBI, R, BB, 2B
McClure: 2-for-3, RBI, R, BB, 2B
Fong: 2-for-3, RBI, R, 2B

GARNET PITCHING LEADERS
Castor: (W, 4-1)  5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO

UP NEXT
The Garnet (28-8, 12-1) wrap up the regular season with a double-header against Dickinson College.