ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Not even an 11 day layoff or chilly temperatures could cool down the hot start the Haverford College softball team is off to as the Fords swept Muhlenberg in their first Centennial Conference doubleheader of the season. Haverford (10-2, 2-0 CC) won 7-5 in the opening game and doubled up the Mules (6-10, 0-2 CC) by an 8-4 score in the second.
Everybody seemingly played some role in the first victory as a three-run third inning and four-run fourth inning proved to be enough offense during the first game. That big third inning opened the scoring for either side as Ashley Sisto, Julia Blake, and Marybeth Stone had three straight singles to make it 1-0 Haverford. A bunt from Jessica Koshinski moved those remaining two runners into scoring position before Emma Souter got her big night started with a two-out two-run double into centerfield.
Muhlenberg got one of those runs back in the bottom half of the inning, but Haverford broke the game open in the fifth. Stone and Koshinski started that inning with back-to-back singles before Rachel Wolfson lifted a sacrifice fly into right field to score the first run. Souter followed that up with a walk to put two aboard. Those base runners were promptly brought around to score as Johanna Batterton doubled into right field. A defensive misplay allowed the fourth run of the inning to come in.
With Haverford leading 7-2, the Mules capitalized on Haverford's lone error of the game with two unearned runs that helped make the score 7-5 before Temma Levis got the final out of the frame on a fly ball to center. The Mules had two more singles in the seventh, but a double play from the Haverford defense and a ground out to shortstop gave Levis her fourth complete game in six starts. She improved her record to 4-1 on the year. Levis allowed just three earned runs while striking out two on the night.
Both teams were quick to score in the second game as each side tallied a pair of runs in the first inning. Sisto started the inning with a one-out walk and moved into scoring position on a Blake single. Blake, who would end up going 4-for-4 in the second game with two runs scored, scored her first run of the game on an RBI single from Wolfson that pushed both runs across after an error in the outfield.
After Muhlenberg tied the game in the bottom half of the inning, the Fords took the lead for good with two more runs in the third. All of that damage came with two outs as Batterton started the rally with a walk. She came around to score on an RBI double from Alex Craig. Craig then scored on another two-out hit from Nicole Swisher to make the score 4-2.
Haverford added three more runs in the fifth inning as Blake scored her second run of the game after starting the inning with a single and coming around to score on Wolfson's RBI groundout. The big blast came when Souter deposited her third home run of the season over the left field fence to make the score 7-3. The Fords got their final run of the night on Blake's RBI triple that scored Sisto.
Once again, the Mules threatened late but were ultimately denied by another strong performance from the Fords in the circle. Muhlenberg did score three runs in the bottom of the sixth, but Briana Quinn avoided further damage by stranding the bases loaded with one of her strikeouts and a pop up in foul territory. Haverford turned its second double play of the doubleheader to erase and a leadoff single in the seventh before another foul out clinched the Centennial sweep. Quinn is now also 4-1 on the year and has two complete games in five starts. She too allowed just three earned runs over her seven innings while striking out two.
Softball will look to get its home schedule underway this Saturday as the team welcomes defending Centennial Conference Champion Franklin & Marshall to the Class of '95 Field for a 11:30 a.m. doubleheader.