Lions Topped In Road Doubleheader By Swarthmore

SWARTHMORE, Pa. – Swarthmore claimed both ends of a non-conference softball doubleheader Saturday afternoon, winning game one on a walk off home run 9-7, before earning a 9-5 triumph over Penn State Brandywine in game two.

Game One: Swarthmore 9, Penn State Brandywine 7

Brandywine led game one until the final pitch as Gwen Glatz lifted a walk off grand slam over the left field fence, capping a six-run comeback in the seventh inning for the Garnet.

Arianna Segich (Ocean City, N.J./Ocean City) led off the game with a double, stole third and scored on Rachel Cherubini's (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) groundout to give the Lions a 1-0 lead after one inning.

Brandywine added to its lead, pushing across four runs in the third inning. Nikki Velez (Gloucester, N.J./Gloucester City) started the frame with a double and three batters later, touched the plate when Alexandra Szpindor (Pottstown, Pa./Pope John Paul II) worked a walk after Brandywine had loaded the bases. Two batters later, Arden Rabiger (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury) delivered a two-run single and Morgan Meoli (Woolwich Twp., N.J./Kingsway Regional) followed with a base hit that scored Szpindor to up the Lions' lead to 5-0.

Swarthmore got two runs back in the bottom of the third and then crept closer, adding a tally in the sixth inning, but Brandywine tacked on two insurance runs in the seventh. Maddie Malfara (Ardsley, Pa./Abington) drilled a leadoff double to center field and crossed home on a Cherubini base hit. Cherubini later stole home to make the score 7-3.

The Garnet collected six hits in the bottom of the seventh against two Brandywine pitchers, walking off with the win on Glatz's two-out home run.

Rabiger and Segich both collected two hits for the Lions, who tallied nine knocks overall. Segich also stole two bases, while Rabiger and Cherubini each drove in a pair of runs.

Cara Fabiano (Bristol, Pa./Bristol) went six-plus innings in the circle, striking out four, while allowing seven runs. Rebecca Proctor (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson) suffered the loss after yielding two runs in 0.2 innings.

Game Two: Swarthmore 9, Penn State Brandywine 5

Swarthmore jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and then tacked on insurance runs, scoring twice in the fifth and four times in the sixth inning to earn a sweep of the doubleheader by topping the Lions 9-5.

Szpinder paced Brandywine at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Malfara added two singles for a three-hit day overall. Brandywine's offense collected nine hits for the second consecutive game.

Malfara singled and scored on Haley Grossi's (Monmouth Junction, N.J./South Brunswick) base hit in the second inning to put Brandywine on the board.

The Garnet built a 5-1 edge through five frames, but Brandywine cut the deficit in half when Alyssa Sullivan (Pennsburg, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) delivered a two-out, pinch-hit single, scoring Szpindor and Rabiger; however, Swarthmore struck for four runs in its half of the sixth to extend the lead to 9-3.

Szpindor's two-run single in the seventh inning provided the final margin. She also went the distance in the circle, fanning three, while surrendering six earned runs on 12 hits.

Brandywine (1-9) begins conference play Friday at Maple Zone against Penn State Schuylkill. Game one of the doubleheader begins at 2:00 pm.