SWARTHMORE, Pa. – Ava Babcock blasted a three-run homer to open the scoring and the No. 14 Swarthmore College softball team piled on late to take the opening game of the NCAA Regional versus Messiah University, 8-0 in six innings, at Clothier Softball Field on Thursday.
With the victory, the Garnet (34-8) set a new single-season mark for wins, surpassing the standard from last year. They advance to face Case Western Reserve University on Friday at 11 a.m. The Spartans defeated Muskingum University, 3-2, in the second contest of the day. Messiah and Muskingum will square off in an elimination game on Friday at 1:30 p.m.
Babcock got Swarthmore going with a three-run shot in the second. The home team tacked on two in the fifth then added three in the sixth to end the game early.
Emilee Espinoza recorded an RBI double to bring in the game-ending run.
Lilly Goldberg was excellent in the pitching circle once again, tossing her fifth shutout and 17
th complete game of the season. The sophomore allowed just two hits and struck out two without walking a batter.
Iris Barone led the Garnet offense, going 3-for-4 with a stolen base, two RBI, and one run. Espinoza finished 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Babcock went 2-for-2 at the dish with a double, a homer, three RBI, and two runs scored.
HOW IT HAPPENED
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Avery McClure led off the bottom of the second with a single to right center and
Kate Borza followed with another base hit. After a sacrifice bunt by
Linnaea Rasmussen, there were runners at second and third for Babcock. The junior crushed the first pitch she saw over the fence in left center for her first career home run and it gave Swarthmore a 3-0 advantage.
- Meanwhile, Goldberg flustered the Falcons lineup, sitting down the first 10 hitters she faced. Messiah recorded its first baserunner on an error with one out in the fourth and did not register a hit until there was one away in the fifth. The Falcons never had multiple baserunners in an inning.
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Elisabeth O'Connor started the bottom of the fifth by reaching on an error. After a groundout and a hit by pitch, there were runners at first and second for Espinoza. Espinoza sent the first pitch up the middle to score O'Connor.
Regan Valenzuela then came home on a groundout to make it 5-0.
- Babcock doubled to right center to open the bottom of the sixth. O'Connor singled and advanced to second on the throw to put two runners in scoring position for Barone. The senior smacked a first-pitch single to center to bring both home and the Garnet led 7-0. With two outs, Espinoza ended the contest with a double down the left-field line that scored Barone.
GARNET LEADERS
Goldberg: W, 6.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 2 K
Barone: 3-4, SB, 2 RBI, R
Espinoza: 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI
Babcock: 2-2, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
UP NEXT
Swarthmore (34-8) battles Case Western Reserve on Friday for a spot in the regional final.
