HAVERFORD, Pa. - History returned to Class of '95 Field on a drizzly, overcast Thursday afternoon as Shelby Preisser tossed the Haverford College softball program's first no-hitter in over seven years, sealing a dominant 8-0 win in the first game of a doubleheader with Widener.
Haverford 8, Widener 0 (5 innings)
Behind a dominant performance in the circle from rookie Shelby Preisser, Haverford blanked Widener, 8-0, in five innings, securing the program's first no-hitter since March 14, 2019, when Temma Levis accomplished the feat against the University of New England on the program's spring break trip.
Preisser (3-0) was untouchable from the outset, retiring the first six batters she faced and never allowing a hit across five complete innings. The right-hander struck out eight and worked around just two walks, erasing any hint of a Widener rally before it could materialize. The defense played a clean, steady game behind her to support the effort.
Haverford wasted no time providing offense. Taking advantage of early Widener miscues, the Fords plated four runs in the first inning, with Jocelyn Leal delivering an RBI single to open the scoring. A miscue by the Widener defense plated two additional runs, and Grace Stowe added an RBI groundout to bring home the fourth run of the opening frame.
An RBI groundout off the bat of Leal pushed the fifth run across in the second. Lauren Martin highlighted the third inning with a triple before Addie Sapirstein knocked her in with a single to right field. A sacrifice fly from Kyra Van Denburgh scored the seventh run in the fourth.
Zoe Friedman capped the scoring in the fifth with a walk-off RBI single, bringing the game to its run-rule conclusion.
Despite tallying seven hits, Haverford capitalized most effectively on Widener's six errors, turning defensive lapses into sustained offensive momentum. Martin's triple and Sarah Fan's double were the biggest swings of the bat for Haverford, which also stole four bases.
For a team already off to the best start in program history, Thursday's performance added another emphatic statement to an already memorable campaign.
Widener 7, Haverford 2
Widener bounced back in the second game, using a decisive fifth inning to earn a split of the twinbill.
The Pride (6-14) wasted little time jumping in front, scoring twice in the first inning. Sara Clymer delivered an RBI single to open the scoring, and an ensuing fielder's choice brought home another run for an early 2-0 edge.
Haverford (16-4) answered quickly, trimming the deficit to 2-1 in the bottom half as Van Denburgh doubled and Lauren Martin laced an RBI single to left, but that would be as close as the Fords would get.
After four steady innings from Anna Stowe kept the deficit manageable, Widener broke the game open in the fifth. The Pride sent nine batters to the plate and plated four runs, highlighted by Katelyn Tong's two-run double and another RBI knock from Clymer. The surge pushed the lead to 6-1 and shifted momentum firmly into Widener's dugout.
Tong struck again in the seventh, launching a solo home run to left field to cap a three-hit, three-RBI performance.
Haverford showed brief life in the sixth, scoring on a wild pitch after Sapirstein reached and moved into scoring position, but could not string together enough offense to mount a comeback, despite a seventh-inning rally that loaded the bases with two outs.
Widener's pitching staff combined to limit the damage, with Bella Smith (2-3) earning the win after allowing one run over four innings before turning things over to Hallie Wiener and Amanda Danz to close it out.
Abby Litchfield had a pair of hits, including a double, to pace Haverford in game two.
Haverford now hops right back into Centennial Conference play with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 4 against Franklin and Marshall at Class of '95 Field. Game one is slated for 1 p.m., with the second contest to follow at approximately 3 p.m.
