HAVERFORD, Pa. - The venue may have shifted for the Haverford College Softball team (12-2), but the results did not, as Haverford continued its winning streak with a pair of big victories over visiting Eastern (8-5). The Fords prevailed in a nail-biter in the first game, 5-4, before returning for a run-rule, five-inning victory over the Eagles in game two, 13-5.
Haverford has now won seven in a row and is off to its best 14-game start in program history. Through less than two weeks of the regular season, Haverford is just one victory away from matching its win total from all of the 2022 campaign.
Senior Abby Marquis wrapped up an absolutely blistering week as she finished the week hitting .643 with nine hits in 14 at-bats including two doubles, two triples, five home runs, 15 RBI and nine runs scored. That effort included a program-best three homers in the first game of a doubleheader at Cabrini on Wednesday as part of a four-homer day.
She slashed a .643/.667/2.143 line and also played incredible defense, splitting time between catcher and the infield. She leads the Centennial Conference in RBI (25), homers (5), triples (3), and slugging percentage (1.087).
Haverford 5, Eastern 4
The Eagles struck first against Susie Pieper, stringing together a run on three quick hits to begin action. Undaunted, Haverford went to work in the bottom of the inning plating three runs. Kaila Uyeda doubled into left field, and Addie Sapirstein followed with a single and stole second to put two into scoring position.
The positions of those runners proved to be meaningless, however, as Abby Marquis continued to be one of the hottest hitters on planet earth with a three-run homer into straight away center field, her fifth round-tripper of the week, giving the Fords a 3-1 lead.
A big second inning for Eastern restored the lead for the visitors early at 4-3, as Alyssa Binczak did much of the damage with her two-run homer. Uyeda tied things up in the bottom of the inning, helping to key a two-out rally. Carley Parsons was hit by a pitch and stole second, and Uyeda brought home Parsons with a clutch single into left field.
In the fourth, Haverford went ahead as Molly Kaufman reached on an infield single and went to second on a groundout. With two down, Parsons roped a single into left, plating pinch runner Abby Olivier for the go-ahead run.
The lead stood thanks to some truly masterful performances in the circle. Anan Stowe tossed 3.2 innings of one-hit ball, striking out three, while Rachel McQueen got the ball for the final 1.1 innings, surrendering just two hits and a walk while striking out one to nail down the save.
Haverford 13, Eastern 5 (5 innings)
In game two, the runs again came early for both teams. Eastern struck first, plating a pair against starter McQueen. Designated player Jania Long blasted a two-run homer for the Eagles, but Haverford again went back to work at the dish to frustrate the visitors.
An error-filled bottom of the first included Marquis sending a triple into the right-center field gap, before Jocelyn Leal and Kaufman also added RBI hits in the frame, as Haverford was suddenly up by three at 5-2.
Sapirstein singled into center in the second to plate an additional insurance run, before Eastern added two back in the fourth. Sapirstein led off the Haverford half of the fourth with a single, as part of three consecutive hits capped by Marquis lacing a double down the left field line to plate Kessinger as Haverford went ahead 8-4.
Long singled to score a run in the fifth, but Haverford looked determined to end things early in the bottom of the frame. Tessa Pearlstein notched a pinch-hit double into right center, and Parsons then singled to score Pearlstein and later stole second. Uyeda knocked a double into the gap, but was thrown out trying to extend into a triple.
Her double scored a run, and set the stage for Sapirstein to single up the middle ahead of consecutive RBI doubles from Kessinger and Marquis. Bryn Clifford took over in the circle, but did not record an out as Leal walked ahead of Kaufman's single to right center, plating Marquis to give Haverford an eight-run cushion, ending the contest at 13-8.
The seven-hit, five-run frame was indicative of Haverford's relentless offensive approach so far this season, as the top four spots in the Haverford order combined to go 11-15 with seven RBI and 10 runs scored.
Alexa Finkele picked up the win in the circle, tossing the final two innings and allowing just two hits.
The Fords now return to action for a busy week, playing at Arcadia on Tuesday (3 p.m. and 5 p.m. doubleheader) and at Penn State Brandywine on Thursday (3 p.m. and 5 p.m.) before hosting No. 18 Rowan on Saturday (1 p.m. and 3 p.m.)