HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College softball team embarked on a historic postseason run last year. The Fords, who faced seven elimination games during the postseason, won their second Centennial Conference Championship in three seasons as they became the first team to drop the opening game of the conference tournament and roll off four straight victories to hoist the trophy.
Haverford then took down the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the entire country in the Norfolk, Va. Regional to advance to its first NCAA Super Regional in program history. The Fords ultimately came up just one game short of the NCAA College World Series as they fell to eventual national runner-up Messiah in the decisive third game of the series.
Haverford made its postseason run with just 11 active players and will hope that is the magic number once again this spring as the Fords graduated four seniors as part of the winningest class in program history and welcome in four first years to the fold.
The lone senior on this year's team, captain Kendall Chambers, is also the lone returning pitcher. Despite losing the two winningest pitchers in school history, Chambers came into her own during the postseason. An honorable mention All-Centennial Conference selection at designated player, Chambers was named the most outstanding player of the Norfolk, Va. Regional.
She allowed just four earned runs in her final 25.1 innings during the postseason run, including a shutout of Saint Vincent in the regional tournament. She also homered and came on to save wins against Salisbury and Messiah during the NCAA Tournament. Chambers already holds the school record for career saves (11) while her 2.49 ERA and seven home runs hit in 2016 were both career bests. First years Temma Levis and Brianna Quinn will solidify a rotation that has constantly seen three pitchers utilized under head coach Erin Brooks.
Around the infield, the Fords return four starters to their regular positions. At third base, junior Jessica Koshinski is already a two-time first-team All-Centennial Conference selection. She led the team with 33 RBI and was named to the regional all-tournament team. Koskinski also belted a career-high six home runs last season and already ranks among the program's top 10 in that category for her career. Joining her on the left side of the infield will be sophomore shortstop Rachel Wolfson. Wolfson started all 50 games during her freshman season, leading the Fords in hits (57), at-bats (182), and total bases (72). Her .313 batting average was the second highest mark on the team.
Two more sophomores fill out the right side of the infield. At second base, Julia Blake returns following an honorable mention All-CC season in which she was also named to the Norfolk, Va. Regional All-Tournament Team. She also started all 50 games while leading the team in batting average (.331), on-base percentage (.394), runs scored (33), doubles (10), triples (2), stolen bases (13), and sacrifice bunts (13). Kaitlyn Guild made 49 starts at first base during her rookie season. She posted a .294 batting average and ranked second on the team in on-base percentage (.360), hits (45), and at-bats (153).
The graduation of catcher Kristin Tatum will likely move Emily Gorman behind the plate this spring. Gorman appeared in 47 games, making 40 starts in right field a season ago. She scored and drove in eight runs and had a hit in 15 different games. Her positional shift most likely leaves Alex Craig as the only returning outfielder. Craig did start all 50 games as a corner outfielder. She scored 21 runs and drove in 13 more, including her first career home run against Gettysburg. First years Ashley Sisto and Abiola Irvine will vie for playing time in the outfield this spring.
The Fords went 28-22 last year and are 53-32-1 under their third year head coach. Haverford got into the Centennial Conference Tournament as the fourth seed and has qualified for the postseason in each of the last four seasons – a first in program history.
Softball will open the 2017 season with the annual trip to Florida which begins on Sunday, March 5 with a 9 a.m. game against Catholic. Haverford will play eight games in the Sunshine State and has eight home doubleheaders on the schedule this spring. Haverford's final three weekend doubleheaders will each come against the three Centennial Conference Teams that Haverford eliminated for the conference championship.