HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College softball team officially clinched its spot in the Centennial Conference Tournament with a Sunday split against first-place McDaniel. The Fords (22-7, 11-3 CC) drew even with the Green Terror (22-8, 12-2 CC) atop the conference standings after a 2-1 come-from-behind victory in the opening game. However, McDaniel took the second game by a 6-2 margin to maintain its one game lead in the standings heading into the final week of the regular season.
In the opening game, Sara Tauriello was brilliant in the circle with a complete game victory. She scattered five hits over the course of seven innings. The Green Terror scored their only run of the first game on back-to-back hit by pitches that forced in a run during the top of the first. The only time a McDaniel runner reached second base after the opening inning came in the seventh when a groundout to second base moved a one-out single into scoring position before a fly ball to centerfield secured the win.
Haverford had chances to break onto the scoreboard with runners in scoring position during the second and fourth innings. However, the Fords left the bases loaded in the second and two runners on in the fourth. Nevertheless, Haverford broke through in the sixth. Dayle Comerford singled through the left side to start the Fords' rally. Kristin Tatum was then hit by pitch to put two runners on with nobody out. Jill Schnall's two-run double into the left centerfield gap emptied the bases and gave Haverford a 2-1 lead.
Pitching with a lead for the first time all day, Tauriello stranded a single and hit by pitch in the top of the seventh. She improved to 10-1 on the season with her most recent complete game effort. She struck out three on the afternoon, while her defense played perfect softball behind her in their 17 chances.
In game two, McDaniel scored two runs in the second, third, and sixth innings during the 6-2 win. A two-out RBI single gave the Green Terror a 2-0 lead in the second inning. A pair of two-out hits in the third inning eventually made it 4-0.
Haverford had its own two-run inning during the bottom of the fifth. Julie Garlick walked to start that frame and Lauren Touey brought her all the way around with a double down the left field line. Jessica Koshinski also dropped in a single to put runners on the corners before Sarah Brody drove home a run with a single back through the middle. McDaniel added two more runs in the sixth inning for the 6-2 final score.
Softball will play its final non-conference game of the regular season this coming Thursday with a trip to Alvernia. That doubleheader is slated for a 3:30 p.m. start. The Centennial Conference schedule comes to a close with another key series against Gettysburg College on Saturday. Gettysburg is currently just one game behind the Fords for second place.