HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College softball team came out on the wrong side of two pitching duels against Muhlenberg during Sunday's action on the Class of '95 Field. The Mules held on for a 2-1 win in the opening game during which Kendall Chambers threw a complete game for the Fords. Temma Levis was also strong all afternoon in her complete game effort against the Mules, but took the hard-luck decision in a 3-0 defeat.
Chambers allowed just four hits during her seven innings of work to start the day. She did not allow a single until there were two outs in the third inning. However, that first single of the day scored a runner who reached via a walk to start the frame. Haley Fedak also had a no-hitter through two innings but the Fords got to her in the third. Emily Gorman singled on the first pitch she saw in that inning. A two-out walk to Julia Blake kept the inning alive before a clutch double from Ashley Sisto over the left fielder's head knotted the game at one.
In the circle, Chambers retired the Mules in order on three separate occasions. Nevertheless, they would add on the eventual game-winning run in the fifth inning. That frame was the only time the Mules got two hits in the same inning off of the Fords' senior. Haverford's best chance to tie the game came in the sixth inning when Rachel Wolfson singled to start the frame and an error during Chambers' at-bat put two runners on.
A defensive miscue put the Mules in a vulnerable position, but it was also the defense that got them out of the jam as the shortstop turned an unassisted double play on a line drive right at her. Briana Quinn reached second in the bottom of the seventh after a walk to start the inning before she was bunted into scoring position. However, Fedak got two of her seven strikeouts for the final two outs to end game one.
The third and fifth innings also provided all of the offense that the Mules would need in the second game. Three straight hits from Muhlenberg in the third to follow a leadoff walk plated the first two runs of the game. A leadoff walk also came around to score in the fifth for the only offense the Mules could muster off of Levis during game two.
Haverford had a pair of hits to threaten during both the first and fourth innings. A double from Blake that was followed up with a single from Sisto in Haverford's first at-bats of game two put two runners on with nobody out. However, three straight outs on the infield got Muhlenberg out of that jam. Chambers and Gorman both had singles in the fourth inning to put two runners on base, but another groundout once again got Muhlenberg out of the pinch.
Softball had previously announced that Tuesday's doubleheader at Alvernia has been canceled. With that schedule change, the Fords will return to action next Thursday for the make-up date with rival Swarthmore. That road doubleheader will get underway at 3 p.m. and serve as the Fords' only games next week.