HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College softball team opened up Centennial Conference play on Saturday with a split against McDaniel. The Fords (11-7, 1-1 CC) used a huge sixth inning in game one to secure the CC opener by a 7-1 score. Haverford was up 4-2 heading to the top of the seventh in game two, but a grand slam from the Green Terror (12-6, 1-1 CC) ultimately forced a split of today's action.
Haverford's defense shined in the opening game as the Fords turned double plays during the first and fourth innings to erase McDaniel's limited early chances. The Fords went up 1-0 in the second when Emma Souter doubled into right field and came around to score on an RBI single from Temma Levis. Helping her own cause, Levis smashed a line drive that just tipped off the third baseman's glove with two outs to bring home the game's first run.
McDaniel had runners on second and third with one out in the sixth after a sacrifice bunt, but a nice play from Rachel Wolfson at short cut down a run at the plate. With runners on the corners, Haverford went for the runner at first when McDaniel attempted a double steal as the Fords escaped that inning with just one run scored.
The Fords seemed to have the perfect plan laid out as they answered that tie score with six runs in the bottom half of the inning. Marybeth Stone and Emily Reinstadtler both singled in that inning while Levis put her side back in front with an RBI on a fielder's choice as the Green Terror tried unsuccessfully to prevent the go-ahead run from coming across. Ashley Sisto followed that up with an RBI single, while Julia Blake was hit-by-pitch to load the bases. Nicole Swisher broke the game open with a two-run single while Wolfson capped the inning by plating two more runs with a single into center field.
With the 7-1 lead in hand, Levis finished what she started as she improved her record to 7-2 on the season. Levis allowed just four hits over her seven innings of work while striking out three. Haverford finished game one with 11 hits, including three from Swisher and two more from Levis. Both of those players finished with two RBI as eight different players had a hit for Haverford in the conference victory.
In game two, it was McDaniel that got the early jump as the Green Terror scored twice on three hits during the second inning. Once again, it was strong defense that got the Fords out of a potential jam as relief pitcher Johanna Batterton started a nice double play to escape further damage. Haverford got one of those back in the third as a sacrifice fly from Wolfson drove in Phoebe May who started the inning with a double over the center fielder's head. In the fourth, Levis got a bunt down to score Souter from third and tie the game at two-all. Wolfson and Stone had RBI hits in the fifth as Haverford went on to score in three straight innings to take a 4-2 lead.
The Green Terror went down in order during the sixth but two walks and a single back through the middle loaded the bases for McDaniel's Michaela Persinger during the seventh. She deposited her 1-1 pitch just over the center field fence to give her side a 6-4 lead. Haverford appeared to have runners on the corners with two outs in the bottom of the seventh as the umpires originally ruled that McDaniel's first baseman was off the bag on a grounder to short. However, after further discussion, the crew decided the first baseman got her foot back to the bag before the runner to secure McDaniel's 6-4 victory.
Softball will be back at home for a pair of doubleheaders next week against Washington College (Tuesday) and Lebanon Valley (Thursday). Both of those dates are scheduled for 3 p.m. starts on the Class of '95 Field.