CHESTERTOWN, Md. - Centennial Conference play continued for the Haverford women's softball team at the Washington College Softball Field in Chestertown, Maryland. The Fords (8-16, 3-3 CC) took a 8-1 win in the first game behind another outstanding performance from Maya Casey before the Shorewomen (10-11, 4-2 CC) turned things around with a 4-2 win in the second.
The Fords got off to a hot start, scoring three runs in the opening inning of game one. Kaila Uyeda opened things up with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a passed ball. Carly Parsons reached first base on a throwing error after her bunt attempt. With Carina Whiting pinch-running for Uyeda, she advanced to third to be in a prime scoring position. After Abby Marquis was walked to load the bases, Madison Hujber was also walked, scoring the first run for Haverford. Eventually, Tessa Pearlstein singled up the middle to drive in two more runs giving the Fords the exact start they needed.
Casey, who pitched five innings in total, gave up only two hits in the first two innings. The senior was dialed in as Washington College could only register pop ups for outs. For the game, Casey struck out one and allowed five hits.
Parsons singled to left field for the first hit of the second inning and eventually scored after a Mia Kessinger RBI single. The Fords scored four more runs in the next two innings, but none more prominent than the Pearlstein home run in the fourth inning. Pearlstein took a pitch right down the middle of the plate and sent it to left field for a two-run shot. Haverford surrendered one run in the third as Alyssa Vieira powered a triple into left field to score a run, but that would be the only thing the Shorewomen could produce in the first game.
Pearlstein finished with three hits and four RBI, while Kessinger totaled two RBI on two hits. Phoebe May and Maddie Etheridge each registered a double, and Marquis hit the Fords' lone triple. Alexa Finkele entered the game in relief for Casey, pitching two innings and allowing no hits to close things out.
Washington College got out to the fast start in game two behind key at-bats from Lexi Barnhart, Maddy Kendall, and Gen Kozub. The Shorewomen left the first inning with three runs, but the Fords pulled one back in the second. With Hjuber on second base, Phoebe May sent an RBI double to right field, trimming the Washington College lead to 3-1.
The Shorewomen answered with one more run in the fourth inning, leaving Haverford with a fair amount of work to do going into the back end of the game. Nothing would come of their hits until the sixth, as it was May again with a clutch single up the middle to allow Pearlstein to score. That wasn't enough to overcome the three-run deficit in the end.
After splitting the doubleheader, Casey's record is now 5-6. Casey finished game two allowing five hits and striking out two batters. Phoebe May was the star for the Fords in game two, with two hits and two RBI. Haverford has now split their last three conference doubleheaders to begin the CC season. Centennial Conference play now returns home as the Fords play hosts to McDaniel on Saturday, April 16, for a doubleheader. The Fords will look to separate themselves from the middle of the conference standings. The opening pitch is set for 1 p.m., with game two following shortly after 3 p.m.