HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College softball team ran into another formidable foe on Thursday afternoon as No. 18 Rowan visited the Class of '95 Field. The Profs (17-5) secured a pair of eight run victories as they won by respective 8-0 and 9-1 scores. The Fords (9-11) have now played five games against nationally-ranked sides after today's doubleheader.
In game one, it was a balanced offensive effort over five innings that secured the victory for the visitors. Rowan scored in each of the first four innings to put the run-rule in effect. Haverford made the Profs earn their runs with base hits as seven of the eight runs were earned. Two errors in the third inning where the only blemishes on Haverford's defense.
A bright spot in the circle for Haverford was the relief outing of Kendall Chambers. Chambers came in with two outs in the fourth inning and retired all four batters that she faced in finishing out the opening game. Rowan's combined shutout from Beth Ann Hyland and Allison Nolan limited the Fords to just two hits. A pair of infield singles from Julia Blake provided Haverford's only offense in game one. She singled in the hole to shortstop to lead off the game and beat out a bunt in the third inning during a 2-for-3 game at the plate.
The Fords kept their second game with the Profs much closer and were tied at one-all after Kristin Tatum blasted a home run over the right field fence in the bottom of the fourth inning. Game two starter Emily Winesett was in control during most of the early innings. She allowed just a two-out single in the first inning. In the second, the first two batters reached on a walk and single before Winesett worked her magic to get out of the inning unharmed. An unearned run in the third would be all she was tagged for in the first four innings.
Tatum's game-tying home run came with one out in the fourth inning. The program's all-time leader in home with 23 career long balls now has six home runs during her senior campaign. Nevertheless, Rowan's offense erupted with eight hits over the fifth and sixth innings to pull away late with a second run-rule victory.
Softball will now embark on its longest road trip of the season. Haverford is scheduled to play five straight road doubleheaders before it returns home again on Saturday, April 16. This road trip will get underway on Saturday when the team travels to Dickinson. This weekend's first pitch is set for 1 p.m.