(Game 1) / (Game 2)
Widener cruised to an 11-0 victory at Swarthmore in the opener before rallying for a 6-4, eight-inning triumph in the nightcap and a nine-game winning streak.
Widener in game one scored all the runs it would need in a two-run first inning. #Kim Dougherty# (Belle Mead, NJ) lined a two-out double and fellow senior Steph Connolly (Aston, PA) followed with a two-run blast for her fourth homer of the year and 17th career.
The Pride added three more in the third for a 5-0 margin. Caitlin Callahan (Franklin Square, NY) ripped an RBI double and Dougherty added a two-run homer for her first career long ball.
Dougherty (2-2) again pitched solidly for her second straight win, yielding one hit over four innings with six strikeouts. She also went 3-for-3 at the plate with four RBI.
Connolly had two hits and three RBI, junior Meg Phillips (Aston, PA) rapped two hits and freshman Jen Nance (Lansdowne, PA) added two RBI. This helped Widener score three runs in the fourth and fifth innings for its fourth run-rule win of the year.
Isabel Sanchez (4-4) allowed five runs and six hits over three innings for the Garnet (7-11).
In a 4-4 tie, the Pride in game two opened the eighth inning with senior Jamie Schmucker (Holmes, PA) placed on second base via international rules. Junior Kelly Vogelgesang (Upper Darby, PA) reached on a bunt fielder's choice, sending Schmucker to third, and took second on a defensive indifference.
After two fly outs, Dougherty had her fly ball dropped by right fielder Michele Perch that allowed both runners to score.
In the bottom of the inning, junior Kelsey Shultz (Parker Ford, PA) allowed just a walk for the complete game.
Senior Lauren Brubaker (Newtown Square, PA) had a hit in each game to run her hitting streak to a career-best nine games. Phillips had two hits in the finale for the Pride, who came back from a 2-0 deficit after two innings. She extended her hitting streak to a personal-best seven games.
Shultz (5-1) recorded her career-best fifth straight win, giving up four runs – three earned – and seven hits over eight innings.
Kathryn Riley (1-4) yielded six runs – one earned – and eight hits over eight innings with five strikeouts for the Garnet. Danielle Seltzer had two RBI and Krista Scheirer blasted a solo home run.
Widener (11-3) is off to its best start since beginning the 1995 season with the same record. Its winning streak is the program's longest since an 11-game run in 1996.
The victory gives Widener a 9-6 lead in the “320 Challenge,” the inaugural series pitting the schools in their shared 19 sports. The Pride need just one of the remaining four points to win the title.
Widener on Saturday hosts Alvernia, beginning at 1:00 pm.
