This past week, Swarthmore College softball won all four of their games after coming off a 1-1 result against Eastern University on March 17. The Garnet currently possess a five-game win streak and a 4-0 home game record.
Their first games were played on March 22, when the Garnet hosted the Immaculata University Mighty Macs for a doubleheader. In 2023, Swarthmore played Immaculata twice, beating and losing once each on a competitive day.
This past Saturday, the opening game not only ended in a 7-0 shutout, but was the match when senior Olivia McClammy ’25 broke the program record for Runs Batted In (RBI) of 105. By the end of the game, she led the record with 111. The hitter also leads the program in home-runs. McClammy and Iris Barone ’26 lead hits with two each, with Barone stealing four bases and making three runs. Jordan Jackson ’25, Avery McClure ’27, and Kate Borza ’27 each touched home plate once. Pitchers Lilly Goldberg ’28, Lia Fong ’28, and Lucia Sanchez ’28 each had shutout innings and totaled nine strike-outs, only allowing two hits total.
The second game of the day saw a tougher Immaculata team, but Swarthmore ramped up their offensive to win the match 10-6. The Mighty Macs scored two runs in the first and second inning as the Garnet struggled to earn their first run of the game. However, in the fifth inning, tides turned with Rae Barron ’26 scoring the first run. Jordan Jackson ’25 hit a triple that cleared the loaded bases. McClammy and Fong each hit two more runs, finishing the inning 6-2. In the sixth inning, Immaculata scored four runs to Swarthmore’s four, ending the game in a 10-6 win for the Garnet. McClammy and Fong totaled four hits. Hitters Barone (1), Jackson (2), McClure (1), McClammy (2), Barron (1), Emily Espinoza ’28 (1), and Grace Taylor ’25 (2) scored points for the Garnets. McClammy and Barone each had one. Lane Barron ’26 pitched all seven innings, allowing two runs, four walks, and eight strikeouts.
The latter half of their weekly schedule was played on Tuesday, March 25, against Widener University, also at home. Last season, the Garnet lost to the Pride in the first of two games 11-12 but won the second 12-0. This year, Swarthmore asserted their will to win with a 2-0 record against Widener.
The opening game saw a ramping offensive build up by the Garnet, who racked up five runs against the Pride’s zero in the first five innings. Barone scored the first run after hitting a single in the second inning. Despite a Widener run in the sixth and last inning, Swarthmore cemented a win into their books with four home plate crossings. Barone led with three hits, and McClammy and Borza had two each. Goldberg made six strikeouts, giving up no bases from balls. McClammy (2), Barone (1), Jackson (1), McClure (1), Emily Bertrand ’25 (1), Ava Babcock ’27 (1), Borza (1), and Serafina Tiro ’27 (1) made runs for the Garnet.
Swarthmore played Widener once more following the first 9-1 blowout with a strong 10-2 win. After going run-less in the first two innings, Regan Valenzuela ’28 captured a single and scored the first point. The fourth inning was a masterclass in offensive and pitching execution as Garnet scored seven runs while giving up none. The next inning saw two runs from both teams, but wasn’t enough for the Pride to take the game. The match saw plenty of runs to go around, with Baron (2), Elisabeth O’Connor ’27 (2), Valenzuela (2), McClure (2), McClammy (1), Abby Reed ’27 (1), Catherine Heflin ’28 (1) with points. Valenzuela and McClure had a field day, going three-for-four and two-for-four, respectively. Barron pitched all five innings, allowing five hits, and pitching two strikeouts and four walks. Goldberg was named Centennial Pitcher of the Week for her performance.
The Garnet currently hold a 11-7 record, closing out Tuesday night with two wins against Widener University at home. They will play Neumann University at home on Thursday, March 27.
In other news, Swarthmore No. 13 men’s lacrosse had a competitive week. The No. 13-ranked Garnet lost to the No. 8-ranked Gettysburg College Bullets in a tight game on Saturday. Trailing 1-3 after the second quarter, Swarthmore scored five to Gettysburg’s two in the second quarter to lead the game 6-5. Two goals from each team preserved the one-point differential (8-6). However, a five-point comeback by the Bullets put the Garnet, who scored three, behind in the fourth period. The match ended in a 11-12 loss, the second of the season. Clay Almgren ’26 led the attack with four goals. Nolan Ohrman ’26 had two.
However, on Wednesday evening, the Garnet turned their momentum around against the Muhlenberg College Mules. By the end of the first period, Swarthmore scored six goals to Muhlenberg’s one, producing the strongest offensive quarter of the game. Unable to score in the next, the Garnet let in two goals to bring the score 6-2. A pair of five-point attacks in the third and fourth quarters secured a win for the Garnet, who finished the match 16-6. Michael Hardiman ’25 scored four goals and Almgren scored three. Owen Hoffman ’26 and Ryder Maston ’26 scored two points each.
