(Carlisle, Pa.) – The Dickinson softball team split a Centennial Conference double-header with visiting Swarthmore College on Saturday afternoon at Dickinson Park. The Garnet scored five runs in the first inning of game one and went on to claim the opener, 9-5. The Red Devils erupted for five runs in the second of game two, handing Swarthmore a 9-1 loss.
Christen Boas Hayes hit a grand-slam as Swarthmore jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first. The Devils answered with one in the bottom half of the inning. Senior Katie Swade (New Freedom, Pa./Susquehannock) led-off with a walk, stole second and scored on an RBI single by junior Grace Edelson (Basking Ridge, N.J./Villa Walsh).
Emma Madarasz led-off the second with a single and eventually scored on a wild pitch and a Red Devil error. The Red Devils moved runners to second and third in the bottom half of the inning, but were unable to cut into the deficit.
Dickinson did get two back in the third, cutting the margin to 6-3. Edelson singled with one out and moved to second on a mental miscue by Swarthmore as Casey Ditzler (Cleona, Pa./Annville-Cleona) reached on a fielder's choice. Nicole Piet (Robbinsville, N.J./Robbinsville) drove in a run and senior Becca Garlinger (Enola, Pa./East Pennsboro) reached on an error to score Ditzler.
Swarthmore tacked on three insurance runs in the top of the sixth. Madarasz doubled and Boas Hayes doubled to drive in a pair of runs, putting the Garnet up, 9-3. Garlinger led-off the bottom of the inning with a double and scored as Jay Abell (Glenn Dale, Md./Elizabeth Seton) reached on an error.
The Red Devils shut down Swarthmore in the top of the seventh. They added one in the bottom of the seventh as Ditzler got on and scored behind an error and RBI single from Garlinger. That would all, however, as Swarthmore held on, 9-5.
Garlinger went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Edelson went 3-for-4 as well with a run scored and an RBI, while Ditzler finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored. First-year Emily Rosenberg (Fredericksburg, Va./Massaponax) suffered the loss, despite a strong effort in the circle. She recorded eight strikeouts in the opener.
The Red Devils turned the tables on the Garnet in game two, jumping out to an early lead to claim game two, 9-1, in five innings.
Back-to-back singles from Edelson and Diztler set the stage for a two-RBI knock by Piet to put Dickinson on the board, 2-0, in the first inning.
The Devils erupted for five runs in the second, highlighted by a three-run bomb off the bat of sophomore Nicole Torlincasi (King's Park, N.Y./King's Park). Classmate Lindsey Zwecker (Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy) led-off the inning with a double and scored on a double from Abell, after pitcher Nicole Clayton (Chadds Ford, Pa./Garnet Valley) reached on a walk.
Swade got aboard on an error before Torlincasi launched a rocket over the fence in left center for a 7-0 advantage.
Swarthmore pushed across a run in the top of the fourth inning after a one-out double from Sara Plantaber. Boas Hayes came through again, driving in another run with a base-hit.
The Red Devils scored two in the bottom of the inning to stretch the lead to eight. Swade reached on another error and Torlincasi singled to set the stage for a sacrifice bunt from Edleson. Piet came through in the clutch once again, driving in two more runs with a base-hit up the middle.
Clayton closed the door with a one-two-three inning in the fifth to end the game with Dickinson on top, 9-1.
Piet tallied four RBIs behind a pair of hits while Torlincasi went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBIs, courtesy of a three-run homer, her fourth of the season.
Clayton earned the complete game win, scattering four hits in a one-run effort. The Red Devils move to 14-13 overall and 3-9 the Centennial Conference. The Red Devils travel to Muhlenberg College on Tuesday to face the Mules at 3:00 pm.
