HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College softball team swept its home-opening doubleheader Thursday afternoon. The day started off with a 4-3 decision in the first game before the bats exploded for the Fords (8-4) in the second game. The second game victory was highlighted by a three-run blast from Kristin Tatum, giving her a walk-off home run in Haverford's 8-0 run-rule victory in six innings.
The Eagles scored first in Thursday's opening game when back-to-back singles and a sacrifice bunt put runners in scoring position. However, an RBI groundout was all the damage Eastern could muster. Miwa Wenzel beat out an infield single in the bottom of the first. She moved into scoring position on a ground ball. After moving over to third on a groundout, she scored on an infield single to tie the game.
Haverford took the lead for good in the third inning. Julie Garlick started the three-run frame with a walk. The inning looked to be fairly pedestrian as the next two batters were retired. However, Dayle Comerford blasted her second home run of the season to put her team in front. An infield single from Tatum and walk to Jill Schnall set the stage for a single back through the middle from Kendall Chambers for a 4-1 Haverford lead on the RBI knock.
Eastern attempted to answer with a pair of runs in the sixth. Kasey Williams hit a solo home run to left field to start that inning. An unearned run also came around to score before the Fords escaped further damage. In the seventh, a one-out single was the only runner allowed by Sara Tauriello to close down the win. That base runner was stranded at first after a strike out and grounder to second.
Tauriello picked up her second win of the year with her complete game effort. She scattered five hits, while striking out eight Eastern hitters. Comerford and Tatum each finished with two hits in the opening game.
The Fords got the quick jump in game two with an RBI double from Tatum after Jessica Koshinski singled to lead off the game before coming around to score. In the fourth inning, Chambers reached on a walk. She was run for by Alex Craig, who came around to score on an RBI single from Stephanie Wolfson.
In the sixth, the Fords turned a 2-0 lead into an 8-0 run-rule victory. Chambers started the inning with a double. Lauren Touey reached on an infield single before an error on a sacrifice bunt from Wolfson loaded the bases. Garlick singled home the first two runs of the inning. Koshinski's single brought home the next run, making the score 5-0. Eastern saw a glimmer of escaping when a hard hit line drive to third was turned into a double play.
Nevertheless, Comerford was hit by pitch to put two runners back on the base paths before Tatum launched her fourth home run of the season over the center field fence for the 8-0 win. Haverford finished with 12 hits in the second game. Tatum was a perfect 4-for-4 with two singles, a double, and the walk-off home run in game two. She finished with four RBI in the 8-0 win. Koshinski also finished with two hits, while scoring two runs in the leadoff spot.
Emily Winesett picked up the game two victory for the Fords as she pitched the first five scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and striking out five. Her latest victory improved her to 6-1 overall on the year. Chambers pitched the top of the sixth. Coming in to a 2-0 game, Chambers earned her second save of the year with her scoreless inning of work in which she did not allow a hit.
Softball will be back on the road this weekend as the team travels to Penn State-Berks for a doubleheader that is scheduled to get underway at 1 p.m. The Fords next home game will be next Thursday, March 26 against Rowan.