HAVERFORD, Pa. – Finally getting to play its home opener in beautiful March weather, the Haverford College softball team earned a split with defending Centennial Conference Champion Franklin & Marshall on Saturday. The Fords (11-3, 3-1 CC) pushed across the winning run in 2-1 victory during the bottom of the sixth inning of game one before the Diplomats (6-10, 1-3 CC) came back with an 8-0 victory in the backend of the doubleheader.
Temma Levis squared off with F&M's Izzy Schaefer in a pitcher's duel to start the day. Ultimately it was Levis who won that match-up as she allowed just one earned run in her seven inning complete game effort. The sophomore scattered five hits and struck out four during her time in the circle to improve her record to 5-1 on the year.
After conceding her only walk of the game and a one-out single in the top of the first, Levis retired eight straight batters. However, it would still be the Diplomats who struck first as a leadoff double into right field to start the fourth inning came around to score following two more singles during that frame. Levis stranded those last two runners with a fly ball to short right and grounder to shortstop.
Haverford left four runners on base during the first three innings, but finally cracked the scoreboard during the fourth. Jessica Koshinski started that inning with a single and was bunted into scoring position by Rachel Wolfson. Allison Mackenzie came on to run for Koshinski and she would move over to third as Johanna Batterton worked a walk and Alex Craig was hit by pitch after fouling off six pitches during her plate appearance. Ashley Sisto kept the pressure on the F&M defense as she grounded to short, but a defensive misplay allowed the first run to scamper home for the Fords with two outs.
Franklin & Marshall got just one more hit the rest of the game as Levis retired the side in order during the fifth and seventh innings. She stranded a pair of runners in the sixth the same way she would end her seventh inning as well, with a swinging strikeout.
Emma Souter got Haverford's bottom half of the sixth started as she doubled into the right centerfield gap. Batterton successfully sacrificed her over to third before Alex Craig executed a perfectly placed suicide squeeze for what turned out to be the game-winning run.
In game two, the Diplomats turned back to Schaeffer in the circle and she was even better during the second contest. She allowed just four hits during her five inning shutout. Franklin & Marshall scored all eight of its runs during just two different innings as the visitors struck for third in the third and five more in the fourth.
Back-to-back two out doubles in the top of the third provided the Diplomats the early advantage. They would push across five more runs during the following inning with the help of two walks and a defensive miscue from the Fords. Haverford had its chances to rally, but the Fords stranded five runners on base during their final three times up to bat.
Softball will be back at home this coming Tuesday for a 3 p.m. Centennial Conference doubleheader against rival Swarthmore.