CLERMONT, Fla. – The Haverford College softball team (1-1) earned its first victory of the season on Sunday, defeating Skidmore (0-1) by a score of 9-4, following a wild walk-off defeat to Nichols (1-0) earlier in the day. The contests opened THE Spring Games tournament, where the Fords will compete throughout the week.
Nichols 10, Haverford 9
The Haverford College softball team dropped a back-and-forth contest to Nichols, 10-9, on Saturday morning. Despite collecting 12 hits and rallying late, the Fords were unable to hold off the Bison in a game that featured multiple lead changes in the final innings.
Shelby Preisser and Zoe Friedman led the offense with two hits each in their college debuts, as Preisser scored twice and drove in a run while Friedman added an RBI and a triple. Abby Litchfield also recorded two hits, including a run-scoring double, while Addie Sapirstein highlighted the early offense with a two-RBI triple. Jocelyn Leal and Kamaha'o Bode each added two hits as part of the Fords' 12-hit performance.
Haverford opened the scoring in the first inning when Kyra Van Denburgh crossed the plate on a passed ball thrown by Molly Medor to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
The Fords extended the advantage in the top of the second inning, when Sapirstein tripled down the right-field line to bring home Friedman and Lamme, pushing the lead to 3-0. Sarah Fan followed with an RBI-groundout to third base that allowed Sapirstein to score, giving the Fords a 4-0 edge.
Nichols responded in the bottom half with a big second inning, scoring five runs to take the lead. Kyla Felicani drew a bases-loaded walk to plate the first run before Riley Chartier doubled to right center, driving in two to cut the Fords' lead to 4-3. Emily Iannuccilli later reached on a fielder's choice bunt that brought home the fourth run, and Michaela Fortier capped the inning with an RBI single to left field to give the Bison a 5-4 advantage.
The score remained unchanged until the fifth inning when the Bison added two more runs. Peyton Blackinton came home on a wild pitch from Anna Murphy, before Chartier singled down the left-field line to extend the Bison lead to 7-4.
The Scarlet and Black began to chip away in the sixth inning, as Litchfield doubled to right center to score Kamaha'o Bode, and Preisser later crossed the plate when Friedman stole second and scored on the throw, cutting the deficit to 7-6.
Nichols answered in the bottom of the sixth when Sydney Manzione singled to left center to drive in Ava Slavinsky, making it 8-6.
The Fords rallied again in the seventh when Jocelyn Leal scored on a throwing error following a rundown play, and Preisser tied the game with an RBI double to left field that brought home Lauren Martin. Friedman then gave Haverford a 9-8 lead with an RBI triple to right field, scoring Preisser.
The Bison responded immediately in the bottom of the seventh. Sydney Hicks tripled to right center to score Iannuccilli and tie the game at 9-9. With Hicks on third, Samantha Lombardi roped an RBI single to third base that plated Hicks, to give Nichols the 10-9 walkoff win.
Haverford 9, Skidmore 4
The Haverford College softball team earned its first win of the 2026 season on Saturday afternoon, defeating Skidmore, 9-4. The Fords used a three-run sixth inning to break open a close contest and secure the victory.
Abby Litchfield led the Haverford offense with a perfect 3-for-3 performance, driving in three runs and adding a double and a walk. Lauren Martin also delivered a key swing with a two-run home run, while Grace Stowe chipped in a two-RBI single. Jocelyn Leal added two hits and scored twice, and Kyra Van Denburgh drove in a run while crossing the plate two times.
Following a scoreless top of the first that included two strikeouts from Sophia Faruol, Haverford struck first in the bottom half of the inning, when Leal reached on a throwing error by the Skidmore pitcher on a sacrifice bunt attempt, allowing Van Denburgh to score an unearned run for a 1-0 lead.
Skidmore evened the score in the fourth inning as Elle Harrison doubled to left field to plate Sam Waters and tie the game at 1-1.
The Fords quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning. Martin blasted a two-run home run to center field, bringing home Litchfield and restoring Haverford's lead at 3-1.
The Thoroughbreds answered in the fifth inning to draw even. Natalie Mayne tripled to right center to score Nate' Burley before Sophia Finch singled to left center to drive in Mayne, tying the game at 3-3.
Haverford regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Litchfield delivered a clutch two-run single to left field, scoring Kamaha'o Bode and Leal to put the Fords back in front, 5-3.
Skidmore trimmed the deficit in the sixth inning when Madison Bonham reached on a throwing error that allowed Elle Harrison to score, making it a one-run game at 5-4.
The Scarlet and Black responded immediately with a decisive rally in the bottom half of the inning. Van Denburgh singled to right field to score Addie Sapirstein before Stowe lined a two-run single up the middle, bringing home Leal and Van Denburgh. Litchfield followed with another RBI single down the left-field line to score Bode and extend the lead to 9-4.
Haverford's pitching staff held the lead from there. Kaleigh Bodak earned the win in relief after tossing two innings, while Clarissa Smith recorded the final two innings to secure the save. Sophia Faruol started the contest and struck out three over three scoreless innings.
The Fords totaled nine hits in the victory while capitalizing on several Skidmore defensive miscues to pull away late.
Haverford will continue THE Spring Games Tournament with a game against Pitt-Greensburg at 1:30 p.m., followed by a matchup against Utica at 3:45 p.m.
