CHESTERTOWN, Md. - The Haverford College softball team (7-19-1, 1-8-1 CC) dropped a pair of games to Washington College (18-11-1, 8-1-1 CC) Sunday afternoon. After falling 16-12 in an offensive showdown in game one, the Shorewomen won 11-3 in just five innings in game two, via the ten-run rule.
Washington College 16, Haverford 12
Tessa Pearlstein drove in four runs , while Kyra Van Denburgh launched her first career home run in game one. The Fords had 6 different players record two hits each, while putting up a team-high 12 runs.
The Scarlet and Black came out swinging in the first frame, after Mia Kessinger knocked in Maddie Etheridge to give the Fords a 1-0 lead. The Fords were not done there however, as Pearlstein roped a double to right center field, scoring Kessinger and Lauren Martin, to extend the Haverford lead to 3-0. In the bottom half of the first, WAC pulled one run back, after Jenna Harper doubled to right field, scoring Julia Weglarz.
Van Denburgh ripped a solo shot to right center field in the top of the second, to give the Fords a 2-0 lead, before the Shorewomen put up a six-spot in the bottom of the inning, to go up 7-4. The bottom of the second was highlighted by six WAC hits, including a two-run double from Lexi Barnhart.
Haverford answered back in the third inning with a five-spot, which saw a single from Abby Litchfield that plated two. Up 9-7 in the third inning, Washington College came back with another counterpunch, scoring six runs in the inning, to take a 13-9 lead. WAC regained the lead in the bottom of the third, due to two separate two-run doubles from Gen Kozub and Lilly Cook.
In the bottom of the fifth, a Nevaeh Unzuet one-run hit and a two-bagger that knocked in a pair of runs from Chloe Trefz, extended the host's lead to 16-9, with just two innings to go.
The Fords continued to fight in the top of the sixth, after Jocelyn Leal, Etheridge, and Martin all came around to score, to trim down the Washington College lead to just 16-12.
However, Emmie Meeks shut the door on the Fords in the top of the seventh, as the Shorewomen hung onto a 16-12 victory in game one.
Washington College 11, Haverford 3 (five innings)
Game two was highlighted by Mia Kessinger's 100th career hit, where the junior roped an RBI-double to centerfield, that scored the second run of the game for the Scarlet and Black.
Haverford started off game two in the same hitting form as game one, as RBI-doubles from Lauren Martin and Kessinger plated home two, to give the visitors a 2-0 lead.
However just like game one, WAC countered the Fords offense yet again, by deadlocking the game at 2-2 after one frame. The Shorewomen put their first two runs of game two on the board, following a two-run knock from Lily Cook.
After a quiet top of the second for the Scarlet and Black, WAC added three more runs in the second inning, to take a 5-2 lead. It was Cook again who provided the offensive spark for Washington College, as the left fielder plated two more runs off her second two-run single of the game.
Brynn Balliet continued to silence the Haverford bats in the third and fourth innings, before the Shorewomen posted three more runs in the bottom of the fourth. After a Lexi Barhnart single scored one run, a Hannah Solge two-run blast pushed the WAC advantage to 8-2, with just three innings to go.
Following a fielder's choice that saw Kyra Van Debnburgh reach second base in the top of the fifth, Addie Sapirstein hustled all the way home off an infield throwing error, to trim the Washington College lead down to 8-3. However Balliet was able to escape danger, as the Shorewomen held onto a 8-3 lead, heading into the bottom of the fifth.
A Jenna Harper two-run jack, followed by a Lilly Wenzel round tripper, sealed the deal for WAC, as the Shorewomen claimed an 11-3 victory in five innings via the ten-run rule.
Haverford College softball will return to Class of '95 field Tuesday, April 16, as the Mules of Muhlenberg come to the 'Ford for a Centennial Conference doubleheader. First pitch of game one is slated for 3 p.m.