HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College softball team recorded a pair of five inning run-rule victories over Eastern on Thursday afternoon on the Class of '95 Field. The Fords (13-7) won the first game by an 11-2 score before coming back with a 10-2 victory in the second contest.
Haverford's heart of the order did the damage in the opening game as the third through fifth hitters in the lineup each had two hits and combined for eight of the team's 11 runs. Rachel Wolfson went 2-for-2 with three runs scored. Julia Blake was 2-for-3 with three RBI and three more runs scored, while Jessica Koshinski was 2-for-2 with a pair of runs and another RBI.
The Fords got things started early when Blake homered over the centerfield fence to make the score 2-0 in the bottom of the first. Haverford's big frame in the opening game came when it scored five times in the second. Three errors helped to start the inning, while three hits brought the runs in. Emma Souter had a two-run double during the frame, while Nicole Swisher also had an RBI groundout.
The hosts put the potential run-rule into effect during the fourth inning when they scored four more times. The heart of the order got things going once again as Wolfson walked, Blake doubled home a run, and Koshinski singled into center. Marybeth Stone followed that up with an RBI single before Ashley Sisto drove in Haverford's final run of the game with a sacrifice fly. Temma Levis got the win to improve to 6-3 on the season with her eighth complete game in 11 starts. She struck out three batters while not allowing a walk over her five innings of work.
The second inning once again proved crucial in Haverford's game two victory. In that inning, the Fords got eight hits, all of which were singles, to push across seven runs to open the scoring. RBI from Swisher and Koshinski during the following inning made it 9-0 before Eastern scored in the contest. The Eagles did scratch across two runs in the top of the fifth to keep the run-rule out of effect for the time being, but Haverford answered in the bottom half. Wolfson started Haverford's half of the fifth with a triple into right field and was quickly brought in via an RBI single from Julia Blake.
Briana Quinn got the start in the circle for the Fords during game two and allowed just one hit over her two innings of work. Johanna Batterton picked up the win as she pitched the final three innings, scattering three hits and allowing just two unearned runs. She is now a perfect 3-0 as the pitcher of record.
Softball is next scheduled to head out on the road Sunday for the rescheduled doubleheader against Dickinson that will get underway at 1 p.m. in Carlisle. After that road trip, the Fords will be home for three straight Centennial Conference doubleheaders starting with Ursinus next Tuesday, April 17 at 3 p.m. on the Class of '95 Field.