IMMACULATA, Pa. - The Haverford College Softball team (5-6) fell in an 8-7 heartbreaker in game one of a scheduled doubleheader at Immaculata on Wednesday afternoon, before the second game was called due to darkness with the Fords in command up 17-0 in the fourth inning.
Jocelyn Leal, Lauren Martin, Addie Sapirstein, and Abby Litchfield each had two hits in a game that saw the Fords accumulate 10 hits on the scoreboard. Mia Kessinger had a standout performance, driving in four runs, while Kyra Van Denburgh crossed the plate twice.
The Scarlet and Black notched the first run of the game in the top of the third inning, as a Sarah Fan sacrifice fly scored Litchfield, giving Haverford a narrow 1-0 lead. After three scoreless innings from Kaleigh Bodak, Immaculata managed to score a run off the first-year pitcher in the bottom of the fourth, with a Kaitlyn Carter RBI single bringing Emma Pinto home, leveling the game at 1-1.
Haverford responded emphatically in the top half of the fifth inning. With the bases loaded and just one out, Kessinger delivered a towering grand slam to left-center field, propelling the Fords to a 5-1 lead. Leal then added to the scoring, driving in Van Denburgh with an RBI-single later in the inning, extending the Scarlet and Black's lead to 6-1.
Bodak encountered trouble in the bottom of the fifth, walking the leadoff hitter. Rachel McQueen came in to relieve Bodak but gave up three runs in the frame as the Mighty Macs narrowed the visitor's lead to 6-4. After a quiet top of the sixth from the Fords, Immaculata added another run in the bottom half of the sixth with a Rylee Martin single, bringing the score to a narrow 6-5 advantage for Haverford going into the final inning.
Haverford secured a much-needed insurance run in the top of the seventh, as a Leal double brought Van Deburgh home, extending the Scarlet and Black's lead to 7-5.
Bodak returned to the pitcher's circle for the Fords to close out the game. However, a Jess Oldham solo shot with just one out remaining brought the Mighty Macs within one run, making it 7-6. After Peyton McGowan reached first base with a single to center field, Martin came back to the plate for Immaculata, launching a two-run home run to left-center field, as the Mighty Macs walked off with an 8-7 victory in game one.
In the second game of the doubleheader, Haverford dominated Immaculata with 17 runs off 22 hits, including another home run from Kessinger. Martin led the Fords with 6 RBI against the Mighty Macs, while Kessinger and Leal each contributed four runs driven in. Martin, Van Deburgh, and Fan each scored three runs in the lopsided start, with Kessinger crossing the plate an impressive four times. In the pitcher's circle, Alexa Finkele threw three scoreless innings with one strikeout.
However, despite the commanding 17-0 lead for the Scarlet and Black, the game was called due to darkness before reaching the required length for an official game, and the accumulated stats will not count.
Haverford will return home to Class of '95 Field for their next games as they host the Knights of Arcadia on Thursday, March 21, with the first game of the home opener doubleheader slated for 3 p.m.