CLERMONT, Fla. - The Haverford College Softball team (5-5) concluded The Spring Games showcase Friday afternoon, as the Fords defeated Susquehanna (3-6) and Juniata (5-9) in a two-game sweep at the Legends Way Ballfields in Clermont, Florida. The Fords grabbed a 5-2 win over Susquehanna in the first game before outlasting Juniata in a wild one, 14-10, to secure the nightcap.
Haverford 5, Susquehanna 2
Fresh off a one-hit performance against Hamilton, Kaleigh Bodak was dealing once again in the pitcher's circle against the River Hawks, throwing 5.1 scoreless innings, giving up just three hits and striking out two.
In the second inning, Kyra Van Denburgh walked and Jocelyn Leal pushed the first-year to second base with a single to center field. After a passed ball forced Van Denburgh to third and Leal to second, Tessa Pearlstein rocketed a double to right field to plate both runners, as Haverford took an early 2-0 lead.
After Abby Litchfield reached second base off a single and throwing error, a Maddie Etheridge sac fly to center field scored Pearlstein, as Litchfield scooted to third base. However, despite pressure from the Scarlet and Black, Susquehanna escaped the jam trailing just 3-0 after the second inning.
In the third inning, the Fords loaded up the bases after a hit from Van Denburgh and walks to Lauren Martin and Leal. Next up to the plate was Pearlstein, who recorded her third RBI of the ballgame, reaching on a fielder's choice to score Van Denburgh. A bases loaded walk to Etheridge, forced another run across the plate for the Scarlet and Black, as Haverford took a 5-0 lead into the top of the fourth.
Bodak continued to shutdown the River Hawks until coming out of the game in the fifth inning, after facing 20 batters. Alexa Finkele came in to relieve Bodak, and gave up a pair of RBI-singles in the sixth and seventh innings for Susquehanna's only runs of the game.
Bodak was reinserted back into the game in the seventh inning, striking out the only batter she faced to seal the win.
Haverford 14, Juniata 10
Haverford jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in their second game of the day after Addie Sapirstein bravely stole home on a double steal, and Jocelyn Leal knocked in Sarah Fan with an RBI- single. Sapirstein continued her offensive prowess in the third inning, scoring Abby Litchfield with an RBI single to extend the Scarlet and Black's lead to 3-0.
After Rachel McQueen blanked Juniata for the third consecutive inning, Haverford exploded offensively in the fourth, putting up four more runs. Mia Kessinger and Kyra Van Denburgh were the catalysts for the rally, as Kessinger knocked in a run with an RBI single, only to come around and score on a passed ball. Van Denburgh added an RBI single to right field, and eventually came around to score on an error from the Eagles' first baseman.
However, Juniata's bats woke up in the fourth, tagging McQueen for seven runs (two earned) and one to the ledger of Clarissa Smith, to take an 8-4 lead into the fifth inning.
The Fords had an answer for the Eagles, however, putting up a five spot in the top of the fifth, to reclaim the lead, 13-8. Sapirstein crossed home plate after stealing third and causing a throwing error from the catcher to take a one-run lead back at, 9-8. A pair of two-run singles from Leal and Abby Olivier gave the Fords a comfortable five run cushion, at 13-8 heading into the bottom of the inning.
Following a quiet bottom of the fifth for Juniata, the Scarlet and Black added another run on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth, after Sarah Fan singled Maddie Etheridge home, to take a 14-8 lead.
The Eagles tacked on two more runs in the bottom half of the sixth, as the Fords held a four run lead, 14-10, going into the final inning.
The Fords went scoreless in the top of the seventh, but Clarissa Smith shut the door on Juniata in the bottom of the frame, as the Eagles went down one-two-three to end the game.
Following the conclusion of The Spring Games, the Fords will now fly back to the familiar confines of Southeastern Pennsylvania, with the next two games on the slate being at Immaculata on Tuesday, March 19, as Haverford will take on the Mighty Macs at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.