SWARTHMORE, Pa. – The Haverford College softball team got a complete game three-hitter from Kendall Chambers to start its day and a complete game four-hitter from Temma Levis to close the day as the Fords swept rival Swarthmore on the road Thursday afternoon. Chambers' shutout bid came as part of a 2-0 win during game one. Not to be outdone, Levis also shut out the Garnet in a 5-0 Haverford game two win.
With the Hood Trophy point added to Haverford's total, the Fords have now clinched at least a tie for the Hood Trophy. They will have plenty of chances to win the annual rivalry as they need just one victory in the final seven spring sports to be contested.
Starting off the day, the Fords turned an infield single from leadoff hitter Julia Blake and walk to Ashley Sisto into a pair of runs. Rachel Wolfson bunted those runners into scoring position. Blake then scored on an RBI groundout from Jessica Koshinski while Sisto scampered home on a passed ball during the next at-bat.
Those first inning runs would be all the support Chambers needed to record her second shutout of the season and fourth of her career. Chambers is now tied with Claire Fitzgerald '14 for third all-time in program history with her four career shutouts. She retired the side in order on three different occasions, capping the game by setting down the Garnet in succession during the seventh inning.
Swarthmore only got a runner into scoring position on two occasions during the first game. An infield single helped to put two runners on base with two outs in the second inning before Chambers caught the next batter looking at a called third strike. In the fifth, a leadoff walk stole second base with one out before Chambers induced a pair of ground balls to get out of that inning.
Game two started with both pitchers holding the opposition scoreless through the first three innings. Haverford broke through in the fourth as Koshinski and Chambers started that frame with back-to-back singles. Alex Craig drove in the game's first run on an RBI single. In the fifth, Blake singled with one down and came around to score thanks to a pair of Garnet errors. The Fords broke the game open in the seventh inning with three more runs thanks to a Blake single, Sisto double, defensive error, and two-run single from Koshinski.
Levis did not allow a Swarthmore runner into scoring position until the fourth inning and only once – during the fifth inning – did a runner advance to third base. Her shutout was the first of her collegiate career and marked her fourth complete game of the season.
Softball will now have the upcoming weekend away from competition. The Fords return to action next Tuesday with a trip to Ursinus. That doubleheader will get underway at 3 p.m. in Collegeville.