WC Rallies To Win Game One

CHESTERTOWN, MD – Host Washington College swept visiting Swarthmore this afternoon at Washington College Softball Field in Centennial Conference softball action.  The Shorewomen won game one, 3-2, scoring two runs in their last at-bat, and took game two, 7-3.  WC is 18-15 overall and 10-4 in the conference, while Swarthmore falls to 14-18 and 0-12.

In game one, the Garnet broke through with a run in the top of the fourth inning Rose Pitkin singled through the right side to score Kate Smayda to put Swarthmore up 1-0.  Smayda put the Garnet up 2-0 in the top of the sixth when she scored on a sacrifice fly to left field off the bat of Nicole Aaron.

Washington got onto the board in the last of the sixth when freshman Kristin Cooper (Georgetown, DE/Sussex Central) singled to right field to drive in freshman Suzanne Patinella (Fallston, MD/Maryvale Prep).  The Shorewomen loaded the bases, but Melissa O'Connor struck out junior Shaelan Nottingham (Ocean City, MD/Stephen Decatur) to end the threat.

In the bottom of the seventh, Swarthmore was one out away from the win when Washington began its rally courtesy of a fielding error.  Sophomore Claire Mattox (Arlington, VA/Potomac School) singled and the bases became loaded when Patinella walked.  The next batter, sophomore Kylie Nottingham (Ocean City, MD/Stephen Decatur) hit a ball down the right field line that Marley Spector dropped and the ball rolled into foul territory and the drop allowed senior Jill Piasecki (Galena, MD/Kent County), who came in as a pinch-runner, to tie and Mattox to score the winning run and gave Washington the comeback triumph.

Cooper got the win in the circle for Washington and improves to 9-4 as she went the distance.  She allowed just five hits, two earned runs, walked one and struck out five.

For Swarthmore, O'Connor was the hard luck loser and drops to7-8.  She pitched a complete game, allowing five hits, one earned run, walked four and struck out 12.  She recorded her 100th strikeout of the season during the game.  At the plate, Smayda went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

In game two, the Shorewomen scored twice in the bottom of the first to take a 2-0 lead.  Freshman Christine Anderson (Palmer Lake, CO/Lewis-Palmer) scored on a squeeze bunt by Cooper and sophomore Lauren Dockrill (San Diego, CA/Cathedral Catholic) singled up the middle to plate Kylie Nottingham. 

The Garnet struck for a run in the top of the third when Nicole Aaron singled to right-center to score Smayda with one out to trim the WC lead to 2-1.  Swarthmore loaded the bases with two outs, but Cooper struck out Elizabeth Cushing swinging for the third out.

WC got one back in the last of the fourth to restore the two-run lead at 3-1 when Kylie Nottingham hit a sacrifice fly to deep left field and easily scored sophomore Hilary Rosenberg (Sweetwater, NJ/Oakcrest).  Cooper made it 4-1 in the bottom half of the fifth when she scored on a throwing error by the guests. 

In the bottom of the sixth, the Shorewomen scored three times to take a 7-1 lead.  Junior Lindsey Glascock (Glenwood, MD/Glenelg) scored on a two-bagger to center by Patinella and Kylie Nottingham and Patinella came home to score on a single up the middle by Cooper for the three runs in the frame. 

Swarthmore scored two in the ninth on a fielding miscue and a groundout to provide the final margin. 

For Washington, Cooper was a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI to spark the WC offense.  Anderson and Patinella were 2-for-4 each with a run scored, while Kylie Nottingham scored twice.  The Shorewomen had 11 hits in game two.  In the circle, Piasecki got the win and goes to 6-5.  She went three innings in relief and allowed just one hit, while striking out two and did not surrender a run.

For Swarthmore who had eight hits, Smayda went 3-for-3 with two runs scored, while Jesslyn Lammerts went 2-for-3.  In the circle, Sarina Lowe got the loss and drops to 5-8.  She went the distance, giving up seven runs, four of which were earned.  She struck out one.

The Shorewomen are off until next Wednesday when they travel to York (PA) for a 3:30 p.m. non-conference softball twinbill.