LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Haverford College softball team was well represented on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region V Team, with a trio of senior leaders earning honors on Friday afternoon. Infielder Jocelyn Leal and catcher Abby Litchfield were selected to the All-Region Second Team, while outfielder Addie Sapirstein was named a Third Team selection. This is the first time the Fords have had three honorees on the NFCA regional squads.
Leal, of Bradenton, Florida, capped off a stellar career with another elite offensive campaign. She hit .405 (2nd on team) with 51 hits (2nd), 39 runs scored (1st), 28 RBI (T-3rd), and 11 doubles (T-1st). She ranked among the Centennial Conference's top performers in numerous categories, including batting average (7th), on-base percentage (.480, 7th), slugging percentage (.519, 10th), OPS (.999, 9th), runs scored (2nd), hits (5th), RBI (T-7th), and doubles (T-4th). Leal also demonstrated elite discipline and situational hitting, striking out just twice all season while leading the conference and ranking tied for fifth nationally in sacrifice bunts (13). Defensively, she recorded 61 assists (2nd on team) and turned three double plays. Her top performance came in a win over Wilkes (April 11), when she went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI. She also tallied three hits and three runs scored against Blackburn (March 13), consistently setting the tone with multiple multi-hit efforts throughout the season.
Litchfield, hailing from Colorado Springs, Colorado, earned All-Region recognition for the first time in her career following a consistent and productive season while splitting time between third base and catcher. She hit .336 (6th on team) with 43 hits (T-5th), 28 RBI (T-3rd), and 10 doubles (T-3rd). She ranked T-7th in the Centennial Conference in RBI and T-4th in doubles, while also placing among the conference's top 10 after being hit by pitch four times. Defensively, Litchfield posted a .976 fielding percentage over 165 chances, recording 115 putouts and 46 assists while helping guide the Fords' pitching staff. Behind the plate, she threw out five would-be base stealers (7th). Her standout performances included a 3-for-3, three-RBI effort against Skidmore (March 8), along with multiple two-hit games down the stretch, including a strong showing against Swarthmore (May 3).
Sapirstein, of Kirkland, Washington, earned All-Region honors for the first time after putting together one of the most dynamic offensive seasons on the roster. She hit .402 (3rd on team) with 49 hits (4th), 34 runs scored (T-2nd), 23 RBI, and a team-best 20 stolen bases. Known as a disruptive force on the basepaths, her 20 steals ranked sixth in the Centennial Conference, while her 49 hits placed ninth. The Kirkland, Washington native added power and versatility with five doubles and three triples (T-3rd on team). She recorded four games with at least three hits, including a standout performance against Gettysburg (May 2), going 3-for-5 with three runs scored, an RBI, a stolen base, and a double. Defensively, Sapirstein collected 72 putouts with a .982 fielding percentage while serving as a steady presence in center field.
Haverford finished the year with 28 victories, matching the 2019 squad for the second-most wins in program history, and returned to the Centennial Conference Tournament for the first time since 2019. The Fords' postseason run also saw the team advance to the conference final for the first time in seven years, capping a season that marked a significant milestone for the program and energized the College community. These regional recognitions reflect a standout season for the Fords on both sides of the ball, underscoring the program's continued competitive rise within the Centennial Conference.
