FORT MYERS, Fla. - Sophomore Claire Fitzgerald's no-hitter carried the Haverford College softball team to its fourth win in a row to start the season as it took down Wilmington College (Ohio), 2-0, on Tuesday afternoon.
Fitzgerald, registering her first collegiate no-hitter and second win of the season, struck out six on her way to blanking the Quakers (3-3) and keeping the Fords' unbeaten streak intact.
Steph Wolfson drove in one run in the third and came around to score in the fifth, courtesy of Dayle Comerford, to provide Haverford (4-0) with all the offense it would need due to Fitzgerald's sterling performance in the circle.
Earlier in the day the Fords continued their opening day trend of a fast start as they jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in taking down Regis College (Mass.), 13-4, in a five-inning affair.
Haverford answered the Pride's first-inning run with four of its own. Elizabeth Newman, who earned an outfield assist in the top of the inning when Jasmyne Welch was out at the plate, got things started for the Fords with a lead-off single. After Jill Schnall sacrificed Newman to second, DiCandilo drove her home with a single to center. DiCandilo, Comerford and Laura Iwanyk all came around to score before the first came to a close as Haverford took a 4-1 lead.
The Fords used three singles in the third to add another run to their lead before Regis (0-4) answered with three in the fourth.
Haverford was far from finished at the plate as it exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the fourth, keyed by Erin Delaney's two doubles, to account for the final margin of victory.
DiCandilo went 3-for-3 with two RBI's and two runs scored to lead the Fords on offense. Elizabeth Newman chipped in with a 2-for-4 effort along with two runs scored and two stolen bases.
Brittany Stevenson (2-0) struck out five and gave up five hits in four innings of work to grab the win.
Haverford continues play in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic on Wednesday with a contest against Wittenberg University at 1 p.m. followed by a 3 p.m. game with Eastern Nazarene College.