Carbutt Goes Yard in Opener

SWARTHMORE, PA -- Host Swarthmore College swept visiting Washington College in a Centennial Conference softball doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at Clothier Field. The Garnet won the opener, 2-1, and captured game two, 8-0 in five innings due to the eight run rule. Swarthmore is now 17-17 overall and 9-5 in conference play, while the Shorewomen fall to 11-17 and 4-10 respectively.

Krista Scheirer doubled to lead off the bottom of the second for Swarthmore and would score on a throwing error by Washington for the game's first run. The Shorewomen would tie the game in the top of the fourth when sophomore Leigh Carbutt (Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley) launched her fourth home run of the campaign to left-center leading off the inning. Washington had runners on first and third with two outs in the top of the fifth, but a pick off ended the threat.

In the bottom half of the sixth the Garnet scored the game-winning run on a two out error. Danielle Seltzer singled and reached second on a groundout with two away. She would come around to score to make it 2-1 when Erin Cushing's ball was misplayed by a WC fielder and Cushing made it all the way to third.

In the top of the seventh, freshman Laura Wagoner (Phoenixville, PA/Agnes Irwin School) doubled with two outs to get the tying run into scoring position, but Swarthmore pitcher Kathryn Riley induced a groundball back to herself off the bat of freshman Brittany Walter (Forest Hill, MD/C. Milton Wright) to end the opener.

Riley got the win for Swarthmore in the circle, tossing a complete game win to go to 10-8 on the year. She struck out seven, scattered four hits and allowed just the one run on the Carbutt blast. Riley recorded her 500th career strikeout in the sixth inning of the opener. For Washington, Walter was the tough luck loser and falls to 5-10. She allowed only four hits and did not give up an earned up in the setback. She fanned three Garnet batters.

In game two, the Garnet scored right off the bat in the bottom of the first. Kira Kern tripled to right field and scored on a Riley two-bagger to right to make it 1-0. The Shorewomen got a runner to third base in the top of the fourth with two away but failed to score the knotting run.

In the bottom of the fourth the Garnet scored six runs to break open the contest before a single out was recorded. Swarthmore loaded the bases on two hits and one error. Allison Coleman singled in Melissa Emmerson to give the hosts a 2-0 lead with nobody away. The next hitter, Katie Smayda doubled in two to give the Garnet a 4-0 cushion and Riley pushed the lead to 7-0 on a three-run blast to left.

The Garnet ended the game in the bottom of the fifth when Angelica Sanchez scored on a fielding error by the Shorewomen.

For Swarthmore in game two, Riley was 2-for-4 with five RBI and Sanchez was 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Riley got the win in the circle and improves to 11-8. She allowed just one hit in five innings and fanned five. For Washington, sophomore pitcher Meaghan Kimme (Lumberton, NJ/Holy Cross) took the loss and drops to 5-7.

Washington returns to action on Tuesday with a 3:00 p.m. conference doubleheader against visiting Haverford.