CHESTER, Pa. - The Haverford College Softball team (12-10) dropped a pair of close contests against Widener (7-9) on Thursday evening. Fans were treated to some extra inning softball in game one as the Fords were edged out 9-7 before coming up short in the pitcher's duel in game two, falling by a score of 2-1.
Widener 9, Haverford 7 (8 innings)
Haverford is usually first on the scoreboard and things were no different today. Sarah Fan singled to right field, before Addie Sapirstein later doubled to left field to put runners on second and third. Lastly, Kaila Uyeda drove in Haverford's first run of the contest with an RBI single.
A successful double steal from Sapirstein and Uyeda put runners on second and third again as Abby Marquis was next up to bat. Marquis drilled a double to drive in two more runs for the Fords, as the visitors promptly took a 3-0 lead.
Widener managed to pull a run back in the fourth inning after a Leah DiGiandomenico solo shot to center field. However, in the top of the fifth, Haverford increased the lead back to three after scoring on an error from the hosts, with Sapirstein scampering home to score her second run of the game.
Widener scored four runs in the bottom of the frame to quickly snatch the lead away from Haverford. The Fords eventually got out of the inning with no more damage, but suddenly faced a 5-4 deficit.
Molly Kaufman kicked off the sixth inning with a leadoff double and Nikki Kingsland stepped up, intending to capitalize on the runner in scoring position. Kingsland would do just that, with a massive two-run shot to retake the lead 6-5.
The following three innings were intense as both teams took turns scoring vital runs. Widener tied the game at six in the bottom of the sixth. Neither team could score in the seventh as the game moved to extra innings. Jocelyn Leal moved to third base after a sacrifice bunt from Kaufman. Leal was placed second with international tiebreaker rules in effect. Leal scored after an RBI from Kingsland on a ground out.
The game reached its conclusion as Bella Walker hit a three-run walk-off home run while facing a 1-0 count, leaving Haverford on the wrong end of the high-scoring affair.
Widener 2, Haverford 1
Game two was a much different contest than the first. Haverford opened the scoring with a towering solo home run from Marquis, her sixth round-tripper of the year. After that, the Fords struggled to put runs on the board.
Mikayla Fedele took the ball in the circle for Widener and was lights out. She pitched a complete game, striking out two and completely silencing the Haverford bats. Rachel McQueen matched the opposition's performance with her own complete game effort. McQueen finished with four strikeouts and just two earned runs.
McQueen held Widener scoreless through three innings as she worked diligently to maintain Haverford's narrow lead. However, four of the hits McQueen allowed came in the fourth inning as Widener pushed across two runs, taking the lead 2-1.
Despite McQueen's solid day in the circle, the Fords couldn't manage enough offense to back it up with Fedele having such a solid outing. Leal, Marquis, and Mia Kessinger managed to record the Fords' only hits of the contest.
With the loss, the Fords' slump continues as they head into conference play. Softball will look to right the ship in their Centennial Conference opener away at McDaniel where they've had a ton of recent success. Haverford swept the series in 2022 and has won four of the last six matchups. The doubleheader with the Green Terror is set for Saturday, April 1, with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.