HAVERFORD, Pa. - Haverford College Softball (6-9) suffered a doubleheader sweep at the hands of No. 13 Rowan (13-5), in a non-conference doubleheader on a brisk Friday afternoon at Class of '95 Field. The games which were originally scheduled for Saturday, March 23, were moved up a day earlier because of weather conditions expected this weekend.
Rowan 15, Haverford 0 (five innings)
Rowan rocketed out of the gates to open up the game, as the Profs tagged Kaleigh Bodak for eight runs in the first frame. Mckenize Melvin led off the game with a triple, and came around to score off a Zara MacNair RBI groundout for the first run of the game.
Following two more runs scored, Abigail Pawlowski knocked in two runs on a single to give Rowan a comfortable 5-0 lead. Rowan continued to pile on the runs as a Melvin double drove home two more, and Melvin eventually came around to score on the next play after an infield error. Once all was said and done, the Profs took a 8-0 lead into the bottom of the first.
The Fords were silenced in the first inning as well as the second, as Rowan added three more runs in the third, highlighted by a Payton McNair RBI single.
A Grace Shukaitis two-run single in the fourth bolstered another three-run frame for Rowan, as both teams headed into the bottom of the fourth with the Profs holding on to a 14-0 lead.
Rowan pushed across one more run to seal it, as the Scarlet and Black fell to the Profs 15-0 in five innings.
Rowan pitcher Rylee Lutz shut down the Fords during the contest, as the hurler threw five no-hit innings, to pick up the win in the complete game shutout.
Rowan 6, Haverford 0
Haverford saw three players pick up hits in the second ballgame, as Mia Kessinger, Lauren Martin, and Grace Stowe all reached base with singles.
Rachel McQueen started the second game in the pitcher's circle, throwing a complete game with four strikeouts.
Haverford was able to keep the Profs quiet in the first inning, however, Rowan's bats began to wake up in the second. An Abby Pawlowski two-run double was the offensive spark the Profs needed to start the game, as the visitors took a 2-0 lead.
Rowan's Emily McCutcheon continued to set down the Fords in the second and third innings, before a three-run fourth inning put the Profs in the driver's seat.
Breana Bryant plated two runs on a double, followed up by an RBI single from Mckenzie Melvin, as the Profs led 5-0 going into the bottom of the fourth.
After another zero as posted on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the fourth, a Payton MacNair sacrifice fly tacked on another run for the away team, as the hosts trailed 6-0 with just a few innings left to mount a rally.
Following scoreless innings in the fifth and sixth, Haverford began to threaten in the bottom of the seventh, down six runs.
Martin led off the inning with a single. Abby Litchfield then replaced Martin at first base after a fielder's choice. Grace Stowe got hit with a pitch, as the Fords found themselves with runners at first and second with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Maddie Etheridge grounded out to second to end the potential rally, as Rowan claimed the 6-0 win to complete the two-game sweep over the Scarlet and Black.
McCutcheon finished the game in the pitcher's circle for the Profs, as the sophomore tossed a complete game shutout, with two strikeouts.
Next up for the Fords is a quick business trip to St. Davids, Pa., as the Scarlet and Black will battle the Eastern Eagles in a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday, March 26. The first-pitch of game one at Eastern is slated for 3 p.m.