ASTON, Pa. — The Haverford College softball team (21-5) combined for 18 runs in a dominant sweep of Neumann (10-16) on Thursday afternoon at Bruder Field. Game one saw Shelby Preisser tally three extra-base hits, including two triples, to help power the Fords to a 9-4 victory, before a seven-run outburst in the sixth inning of game two propelled the Scarlet and Black to a 9-2 win over the Knights to secure the sweep.
Haverford 9, Neumann 4
Preisser led the Fords at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI, including a double and a triple. Addie Sapirstein added a 3-for-4 performance with an RBI, while Grace Stowe scored twice and recorded a hit. Clarissa Smith chipped in with a pinch-hit RBI double, and Sarah Fan reached base and scored twice. In the circle, Sophia Faruol tossed three scoreless innings with three strikeouts, while Lauren Lamme earned the win in relief to move to 3-0 on the season. Anna Murphy closed the door with 1.2 scoreless innings, striking out three to record her first save of the year.
Haverford wasted little time getting on the board in the top of the first, as Preisser came around to score on a wild pitch, pushing the lead to 1-0. The Fords broke the game open in the second inning, beginning with a two-run double from Preisser to extend the advantage to 3-0. Martin followed with an RBI groundout to push the lead to 4-0, before Friedman reached on an error that allowed another run to score, making it 5-0. Sapirstein capped the rally with an RBI single up the middle, stretching the lead to 6-0.
The momentum carried into the third inning as Smith delivered a pinch-hit RBI double to push the lead to 7-0. Later in the frame, Van Denburgh added an RBI groundout to extend the margin to 8-0.
Neumann began to chip away in the bottom of the fourth, using an RBI single from Emily Miller to cut the deficit to 8-1. The Knights threatened again in the sixth, as Natalie Jairdullo singled and advanced to second on a base hit from Emily Ammon before a bunt single from Rylie Norris loaded the bases with one out. After a pitching change brought Murphy into the circle, Ellie Zarnawski was retired on an infield fly and Nicole Anderson struck out swinging to end the threat and preserve the 8-3 advantage. Neumann added three runs in the fifth, highlighted by a two-run triple from Zarnawski and an RBI single from Kayla Naylor, trimming the lead to 8-4.
Haverford added an insurance run in the seventh when Martin reached on a fielding error, allowing Litchfield to score and push the lead to 9-4.
In the bottom of the seventh, Murphy worked around a Haverford error to secure the victory. After striking out Naylor looking, Bella Morales reached on an error and was replaced by pinch runner Cioni Simmons, who advanced to second on a wild pitch. Miller reached on a fielder's choice, but Murphy responded with a strikeout of Tori Spinella for the second out. A single from Jairdullo loaded the bases, but Murphy induced a pop-up to second to end the game and seal the 9-4 win.
Haverford 9, Neumann 2
Sarah Fan paced the offense with a perfect 4-for-4 performance, scoring once and adding a stolen base. Lauren Martin added two hits and two runs scored, while Jocelyn Leal drove in two runs with a double. Kamaha'o Bode provided a key spark off the bench with a two-RBI double, and Zoe Friedman collected two hits and an RBI. Shelby Preisser also drove in a run, while Grace Stowe added an RBI. In the circle, Anna Murphy allowed just one run over three innings in the start, while Kaleigh Bodak earned the win to improve to 7-0, tossing three innings with four strikeouts and allowing just one unearned run.
After two scoreless innings, Haverford broke through in the second as Litchfield came around to score on a wild pitch, pushing the lead to 1-0. Later in the frame, Stowe grounded out to bring home Martin and extend the advantage to 2-0.
Neumann answered in the third with an RBI single from Ellie Zarnawski to cut the deficit to 2-1, before capitalizing on a Haverford error in the fourth to even the score at 2-2.
The Fords regained control in the sixth with a decisive rally, beginning with a two-run double from Bode to push the lead to 4-2. Preisser followed with an RBI single to extend the advantage to 5-2, and Leal delivered a two-RBI double down the left field line to stretch the lead to 7-2. Later in the inning, Leal came around to score on a fielder's choice to make it 8-2, before Friedman capped the scoring with an RBI single to push the lead to 9-2.
Bodak and the Haverford defense closed the door from there, limiting Neumann to just one hit in the sixth before the game was called due to darkness before the bottom of the seventh.
