Last edited: Monday, 3/05/12 @ 9:00 p.m.

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Haverford College softball team opened up the 2012 season with hot bats as it rolled to a 10-1 five-inning victory over Rockford College and then later took down Bethany Lutheran College, 8-2, in non-conference action Sunday.

The Fords (2-0) broke open a 1-1 game with consecutive four-run efforts in the second and third innings, chasing Regents' starting pitcher Eryn Dougherty (0-1) in the process. Haverford starter Brittany Stevenson took over from there as she shut Rockford out the rest of the way. The Fords, tallying 11 hits over the contest, tacked on an additional run in the fifth to provide the fnal margin of victory.

Leading Haverford at the plate was Elizabeth Newman who went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBI's. Jill Schnall and Jen DiCandilo also added two RBI's and one hit apiece. Laina Gagliardi and Gabrielle Sapienza both scored two runs to help the cause.

Stevenson (1-0) earned her first win of the season as she gave up one run and struck out two in five innings of work.

The Fords used a big first inning to take down Bethany Lutheran, 8-2, in the second contest of the day.

Haverford continued its opening-season offensive surge as it hung five runs on the Vikings (0-2) in the first inning. DiCandilo's sacrifice fly plated the first Fords' run and Dayle Comerford followed with a two-run RBI single that cleared the bases. Completing the early offensive onslaught was Laura Iwanyk, who delivered an RBI triple that scored Comerford and then later came home on a passed ball.

Bethany Lutheran answered with a single run in the second but Haverford tallied a run in the third and two in the fourth to quiet thoughts of a Vikings' comeback.

Comerford, a freshman, had a strong opening of her collegiate career as she went 2-for-3 with three RBI's. Classmate Stephanie Wolfson contributed two RBI's on two hits and also scored two runs.

Striking out five and giving up three hits, Claire Fitzgerald went the distance and gave up just one earned run to grab her first win of the season.

The Fords continue play in Florida on Tuesday with a pair of games in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic. Regis College (Mass.) is the first opponent of the day at 1 p.m., followed by Wilmington (Ohio) College at 3 p.m.