GETTYSBURG, Pa. – The Haverford College softball team won its opening game of the Centennial Conference Tournament by a 5-0 score on the back of a shutout from Temma Levis. The Fords (20-11) exacted their revenge after getting swept at McDaniel (21-19-1) just last weekend with three runs during the fifth inning and two more in the seventh.
With the win, Haverford advances to play Washington College on Saturday. That game is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. (or 30 minutes after the previous game). An updated schedule as announced by the conference office on Friday due to projected rain the forecast is available at the bottom of this article.
Haverford threatened early and often against the Green Terror, putting a runner at three of the first four innings. However, strong defense from McDaniel kept Haverford from pushing the first run of the game across. Nicole Swisher worked a walk to start the contest before a sacrifice bunt from Jessica Koshinski and fly ball from Julia Blake moved her to third with two outs before a fly out to centerfield. In the second, Marybeth Stone reached on a single into left while a pair of defensive misplays put runners on the corners. However, Stone was left standing on third.
The Fords kept the pressure up as Swisher got on base again with a one-out single during the third inning. A wild pitch moved her to third before she was cut down trying to score on an infield grounder. Emma Souter started the fourth inning with a double off the centerfield fence, but was put out trying to move up on the base paths in subsequent at-bat.
Haverford finally broke through with a two-out rally during the top of the fifth. Swisher walked to start that rally, while an RBI double from Koshinski scored the first run of the pitcher's duel. Blake followed that up with a single down the right field line to score Koshinski. Blake ultimately advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on Souter's single back through the middle.
Adding two more insurance runs in the seventh, a single from Blake and double from Souter put two runners in scoring position with one out. Stone walked to load the bases, but a fielder's choice cut down one potential run at the plate. Nevertheless, Levis helped her own cause with a two-run single back through the middle as all five of Haverford's runs came with two outs.
Levis was seemingly in control all game long as she allowed just seven hits during her first shutout of the season, the second such outing of her career. She improved to 10-4 this season as she struck out five. McDaniel had two runners on during both the second and third innings. However, a nice diving catch on a foul pop up behind the plate from Souter got Haverford out of trouble in the second before Levis stranded two more runners in the third.
The Green Terror's best chance to score came in the fifth inning after Levis' only two walks of the contest, while a single loaded the bases with two down. Undeterred, Haverford's hurler got the next batter to ground out to Koshinski at third. Including that chance, Levis closed the game by retiring seven of the Green Terror's final eight batters to come to the plate. She allowed just a one-out single in the sixth before retiring McDaniel in order during the bottom of the seventh.
Offensively, Souter finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate with a run and RBI. Koshinski and Blake also had a run scored and driven in, while Levis helped her own cause with two RBI.
Updated Centennial Conference Tournament Schedule (times adjusted due to projected rain)
Friday, May 4
Game 1: #4 Washington College def. #1 Gettysburg, 7-3
Game 2: #3 Haverford def. #2 McDaniel, 5-0
Saturday, May 5
Game 3: #1 Gettysburg vs. #2 McDaniel (10 a.m.; elimination game)
Game 4: #3 Haverford vs. #4 Washington (12 p.m. or 30 minutes after game 3)
Game 5: Winner of game 3 vs. Loser of game 4 (2 p.m. or 30 minutes after game 4; elimination game)
Game 6: Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5 (4 p.m. or 30 minutes after game 5; championship game)
Sunday, May 6
Game 7 (if necessary): Final game if the winner of game 5 also wins game 6 (time TBA)