HAVERFORD, Pa. - Powered by Claire Fitzgerald's record-tying strikeout performance, the Haverford College softball team continued its early-season roll with an 8-0, 2-0 sweep of Cabrini College in non-conference action Tuesday afternoon at Class of '95 Field.
Fitzgerald, having previously thrown a no-hitter this season, started Game 2 and lowered her earned run average to a minuscule 0.25 as the Fords (8-1-1) halted the Cavaliers' five-game win streak (8-8) in the twinbill's opener.
Tying the single-game strikeout record achieved twice in the 2010 season, Fitzgerald fanned a career-high 10 batters and allowed just two hits over seven innings of work to keep her undefeated record (4-0) intact.
Haverford manufactured its first run of Game 2 in the fifth inning when Dayle Comerford's sacrifice fly brought home Elizabeth Newman. Stephanie Wolfson, making the most of a pinch-hit appearance in the sixth, provided an insurance run with her first collegiate home run.
Cabrini pitcher Missy Miller (3-4) received a handful of solid defensive plays behind her to hold the Fords to just two runs.
Earlier in the afternoon Brittany Stevenson (4-1) registered her own impressive pitching performance as she struck out three and allowed just one hit over the course of the 8-0 five-inning win. Marcelle Crist (4-4) took the loss for the Cavaliers.
Haverford wasted no time in Game 1 as they scored six runs in the first inning on eight hits. Eleven batters came to the plate during the course of the frame as five different players contributed RBI's. Jen DiCandilo brought Wolfson and Jill Schnall home to get the scoring started and Comerford, Laura Iwanyk, Lauren Touey, Gabrielle Sapienza, Erin Delaney and Newman continued the offensive explosion.
Comerford's first collegiate home run added another run in the second for the Fords while Delaney came around to score in the third to account for the final margin of victory.
Iwanyk and Newman both finished 3-for-3 at the plate to lead the Haverford offense. Comerford and Delaney chipped in with two hits apiece.
Facing the next three opponents on the road, the Fords head to No. 14 Rowan University on Thursday for a doubleheader against the Profs starting at 3 p.m.