CLERMONT, Fla. – The Haverford College softball team will return home with a 6-4 overall record after wrapping up its opening week of games in Florida. The Fords fell to Westfield State, 5-3, and Moravian, 1-0 in eight innings, during the final full day down south.
Westfield State 5, Haverford 3
Westfield State used a four-run first inning during Friday's opening game to capture a lead it never relinquished. In the top of the first, three walks loaded the bases before a pair of defensive miscues on the infield led to those four runs, just one of which was earned.
Haverford actually outhit its opposition for the game, 6-3. None of Westfield State's three hits on the afternoon came during the team's huge offensive inning. The Owls first hit of the afternoon came on a triple to start the third that eventually came around to score on an RBI groundout.
The Fords cut into their deficit during their at-bats in the third and fourth innings. Singles from Jessica Koshinski and Sarah Brody were moved into scoring position on a groundout. Koshinski scampered home with Haverford's first run on a passed ball in the third. Kendall Chambers started off the fourth inning with a double to right field before being knocked in by Julie Garlick, making the score 5-2 after four full innings.
Haverford added a two-out RBI double from Dayle Comerford in the seventh inning, but Owls' starter Julia Sullivan escaped that inning for the complete game victory. The Fords two pitchers, starter Chambers and reliever Sara Tauriello, allowed just two earned runs over the game. Tauriello pitched four scoreless innings in relief, striking out seven.
Moravian 1, Haverford 0 (8 innings)
Just as the Fords opened their trip to Florida with a 1-0 pitcher's duel, Haverford would also close its week in that fashion. Unfortunately for the Fords, it was Moravian that walked off with a 1-0 win in the eighth inning unlike the Fords' prior 1-0 victory to start the week.
Emily Winesett and Amanda Carisone took to the circle for their respective teams, a spot neither gave up with their complete game efforts. Both teams finished with two hits in the contest while one additional runner reached via error for both sides. Moravian worked four free passed to first (three walks and one hit by pitch), while Haverford had two batters hit by pitch and drew another walk at bat.
Both teams left a pair of runners on the base paths during the fifth inning. Batting in the top half, Haverford's Chambers worked a walk, while Miwa Wenzel singled to put two on. The Fords attempted a double steal but had the trail runner thrown out at second for the first out. After an infield pop up, Lauren Touey was hit by pitch but the runners were stranded on the corners with a grounder to short.
The Greyhounds singled to start their half of the fifth. A hit by pitch following a sacrifice bunt put two aboard with two down but Winesett escaped the jam with a fly ball to centerfield.
Playing international tiebreaker rules starting in the eighth, Haverford began the inning with a runner on second. However, an infield pop up, fielder's choice to cut down the lead runner, and strike out closed the books on the top half of the frame. With Moravian's runner at second, the Greyhounds sacrificed the runner to third before an RBI single scored the unearned run in the eventual 1-0 win.
Up next…
Softball will return to campus Saturday. The Fords head out on the road Tuesday as the team travels to Immaculata for a 3 p.m. doubleheader. Haverford's home opener is slated for Thursday against Eastern.