MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.--Eastern University Softball concluded spring break with a 6-2 record after topping Swarthmore College 4-0 and Dakota State University 9-6 on Thursday.
Eastern pitcher Janelle Fair increased her streak of scoreless innings this season to 28 after pitching a complete game shutout against Swarthmore and then pitching a two-inning save against Dakota State.
The Eagles attacked the Swarthmore Garnet early in game one, scoring three of their four runs in the top half of the first inning. Tori Jacobson knocked in the first RBI of the game, blasting a bases-loaded single that scored Jessica Baker. A throwing error by Swarthmore's right fielder also allowed Janelle Fair to score. An RBI-groundout by Emily Houck scored Maggie McGowan to put Eastern up 3-0.
For the next seven innings, Swarthmore's box score filled up with zeroes. Eastern's Fair mowed down one Garnet batter after another. She walked none and allowed just two hits (which stayed in the infield) while striking out three batters. The furthest a Garnet runner made it on the basepath in the contest was to second base.
Eastern tacked on an insurance run in the third with an unearned run scored by Maggie McGowan off a ball hit by Tori Jacobson. But with the way Fair pitched, the insurance run was hardly needed.
The Eagles had a more difficult time against the Dakota State University Trojans in the second game Thursday. The Trojans scored first, but the Eagles responded with two runs in the top of the second when catcher Sam Terenzoni knocked a 2-RBI double down the left field line.
The Eagles added three more in the third as Dakota State's pitcher began to have some control issues. The Eagles scored twice on wild pitches and once on a bases-loaded walk.
Dakota State earned two back in the bottom of the third, but Eastern pounded four more runs in the top of the fourth to increase the lead to 9-3. Janelle Fair hit an RBI-single to center field, Maggie McGowan launched an RBI-double off the center field fence, and Emily Houck hit both Fair and McGowan home with a RBI-double down the left field line.
Dakota State made it clear that they would not go down without a fight, scoring three runs on a bases-clearing double. But Eastern held off the Trojans' comeback, securing the 9-6 victory.
Eastern head coach Brittany Stroop said that as a team, they played the way they wanted to play. She said that the Eagles were relentless at the plate and will try to continue the offensive production when the team returns to Pennsylvania.
The Eagles host Haverford College in a double header on March 15 at 3:00 pm.
Box Score vs. Swarthmore
Box Score vs. Dakota State
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