NAPLES, Fla. – The Haverford College softball team (6-2) split a pair of contests at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Naples on Wednesday. The Fords were held at bay by John Carroll by a score of 5-4, before taking down Alverno in five innings by a score of 13-1.
John Carroll 5, Haverford 4
Riding a five-game winning streak, the Fords were up against the team that handed them their only prior loss in Florida. Action in the first inning ended scoreless for both teams but John Carroll got into a rhythm in the second inning. Rachel McQueen struggled with her pitches early on, and the Blue Streaks took full advantage of some Haverford miscues. Thanks to a few walks from the Haverford pitcher and timely singles, John Carroll found themselves up 4-0 going into the third frame.
Alexa Finkele took over in the circle for the Fords and had a solid day of work. In four innings, Finkele allowed just one earned run while facing 18 batters.
Haverford scored its first run of the game in the top of the third inning off of an Addie Sapirstein double to left center for a key RBI. Parsons scored on the play after getting on base with a single earlier in the inning.
John Carroll scored another run in the bottom of the frame, but Haverford slowly crept their way back into the contest. Leal singled in the inning to start the comeback. However, the next two batters for the Fords were dismissed via ground out and fly out, leaving Parsons with no outs to work with to get something done. Parsons singled to left field and Leal worked to round third and score on the play, crediting Parsons with an RBI.
The Fords continued to put pressure on John Carroll in the fifth inning, scoring another two runs to make the score 5-4. Sapirstein opened the inning with a single and Mia Kessinger followed it up with a single of her own. Sapirstein eventually scored due to a John Carroll error.
Haverford worked to load the bases later in the fifth and scored after Nikki Kingsland was walked. However, the Fords with already two outs, couldn't make more of the loaded bases situation. The game ended after an uneventful sixth and seventh inning as Haverford's comeback bid fell short.
Haverford 13, Alverno 1
The action was immediately different against Alverno, as the Fords ran away with the contest. Saperstien was walked in the first inning and later stole a base, setting up Abby Marquis to bring her home. Marquis singled to center field and the Fords blew the game open from there.
Kessinger singled to get on base followed by a Leal single to center field for an RBI with Marquis scoring. Leal later stole second base to get into scoring position and Sarah Fan hit a sacrifice fly to bring Marquis home, ending the first inning with three runs.
The Fords followed up the performance with a six-run inning in the second and put the game out of reach from the Inferno. Sapirstein, Marquis, Kessinger, Litchfield, and Fan each drove in runs during the inning. Haverford only left one on base while scoring their six runs on six hits. Marquis, Litchfield, and Kessinger each roped a double.
After four more runs in the third and fourth inning, the game came to an early end. Sapirstein and Fan both recorded an RBI in the third while Parsons and Maddie Etheridge did the honors in the fourth.
Susie Pieper was credited with the win, surrendering only one run and five hits in her five innings of work. The senior also struck out three and walked none. Haverford finished the game with 13 hits in just five innings.
Haverford will now play their final games in Florida on Friday, March 10 when they take on SUNY Potsdam (9 a.m.) and Clark (11 a.m.) on the final day of action at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic.