HAVERFORD, Pa. – Facing the Centennial Conference preseason favorite, the Haverford College softball team was leading Gettysburg by a 3-1 score heading into the seventh inning of game one before the Bullets rallied for the win. That momentum seemingly carried over into game two as Gettysburg rolled to a 14-2 run-rule victory despite a home run from Hailey O'Mara who was making her first appearance in uniform on Saturday.
Facing off all-conference performer Aileen Reilly, Haverford found itself down a run after a defensive miscue during the second inning of play. Reilly carried a no hitter into the fourth inning with six of her first nine outs coming on strikeouts. However, the Fords begin to make things happen offensively in the fourth.
Ashley Sisto walked to start the inning and bunt from Rachel Wolfson was perfectly placed for an infield single to put two runners on base. Kendall Chambers followed that at-bat up with a single back through the middle to tie the game as Sisto scored from second base. A second walk in the inning was worked by Temma Levis, who was also strong in the circle, to load the bases. Briana Quinn made contact back through the middle and that was good enough as a defensive miscue from Gettysburg kept the bases loaded with Haverford now leading 2-1. Emily Gorman capped the inning with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1.
Levis dueled with Reilly for much of the afternoon and did not allow an earned run until the Bullet's rally in their final at-bats. The Fords' first-year pitcher allowed just one hit through the first five innings and stranded a one-out single in the sixth as she took the final out herself via the strikeout. She finished her game one outing with a total of five strikeouts.
However, the Gettysburg offense came to life in the seventh inning as it scored seven runs on eight hits despite a call to the bullpen from Haverford to try and stop the rally. Reilly earned the win for Gettysburg as she struck out 11 over her seven innings of work.
The Bullets seemingly found their offense for the rest of the afternoon with that rally as they put up crocked numbers during each of the first three innings of the second game. Haverford scored its first run of game two on an RBI single from Rachel Wolfson after Julia Blake doubled to lead off Haverford's half of the first.
Despite several line drive outs throughout the second game, the Fords did get one final power surge from O'Mara in the fifth inning. Making the transition from the volleyball team, O'Mara worked the count to 2-2 before delivering her first collegiate hit over the left centerfield fence in the Fords' final turn up to bat.
Softball will return to the Class of '95 Field on Sunday afternoon to take on Muhlenberg in a 1 p.m. doubleheader. The contest is the makeup date from the Haverford's earlier rain outs.