HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College Softball team (9-9) split its Centennial Conference opening doubleheader on Saturday, enjoying a beautiful spring day at Class of '95 Field. The Fords won 5-4 in the first contest and fell 6-3 in the late afternoon game.
On the day, Mia Kessinger and Addie Sapirstein each had three hits, while Jocelyn Leal added four RBIs. Haverford pitching struck out six in 14 innings and allowed six earned runs.
Game 1: Haverford 5, Dickinson 4
The game's most dramatic moment came early, in the bottom of the first inning, when Haverford's Jocelyn Leal hit a grand slam before an out was recorded. Kamaha'o Bode walked, and Sapirstein reached on a fielding error. Mia Kessinger loaded the bases with a bunt single, and Leal connected for a towering home run that drifted into left field. The ball struck the foul pole directly, sending the large crowd gathered on a warm day into a frenzy. The blast put Haverford up 4-0 after the first inning.
Dickinson began to chip away at Haverford's lead in the fifth inning with a two-out rally. Elizabeth Raefski singled up the middle, driving in Abby Kohan to pull a run back.
The Red Devils continued to rally in the bottom of the sixth against Lauren Lamme. Lauren Routzahn singled to center, scoring a run, and was followed by a two-RBI double from Kohan, tying the game at 4-4.
Haverford responded in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Maddie Etheridge was hit by a pitch, and Bode followed with a single through the left side. The two moved into scoring position on a wild pitch, and Sapirstein plated Etheridge with a groundout to the right side of the infield.
Clarissa Smith earned the win for Haverford, her first of the season. She helped the Fords out of the jam in the sixth inning, inducing a groundout, and worked around a pair of two-out walks in the seventh. Smith struck out her counterpart, Erin McMahon, to end the contest and give the Fords their first CC victory of the season.
Lamme struck out two in her 5.2 innings of work, while Smith scattered two seventh-inning walks in her 1.1 innings of relief to earn the win.
Game 2: Dickinson 6, Haverford 3
In game two, Dickinson plated three runs in the first three innings to take an early lead against Rachel McQueen. A double from Marah Goldman and a fielding error plated Dickinson's first run, and Kohan then singled into the right-center field gap for a 2-0 lead for the visitors.
After Jessie Sandusky reached on a bunt single in the top of the third, Erin McMahon doubled into right-center, plating the third run of the contest. Lauren Martin tripled in the third inning but was stranded as Kohan, who moved to the circle for the second game, was able to wiggle out of trouble.
A three-run frame from Dickinson opened things up, as the Red Devils went up 6-0 after a trio of unearned runs in the fifth. Haverford made a dent in the bottom of the sixth, pulling back to within three. Kessinger and Kyra Van Denburgh each singled to open the frame, and Sapirstein reached on an infield single that plated Kessinger. Sapirstein then stole second, and Abby Litchfield delivered an RBI groundout. Grace Stowe punched an RBI single into right field, bringing the Fords back within three.
The Fords looked to rally in the seventh, but Kohan delivered two quick outs before Leal singled into right field. Kohan battled Van Denburgh, eventually getting the final groundout to secure the split for the visitors.
Kohan surrendered 10 hits but did well to get out of trouble when needed, scattering four strikeouts. McQueen and Kaleigh Bodak shouldered the pitching duties for the Fords, combining for three strikeouts and allowing eight hits.
Haverford now continues the Centennial Conference slate on Tuesday, April 1, at home against Ursinus. The first pitch of game one of the doubleheader is slated for 3 p.m.