HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College softball team (5-7) swept a doubleheader from Penn State Brandywine (10-6) on Tuesday afternoon at Class of '95 Field. On a chilly but seasonable day, the Fords prevailed 7-5 and 3-1 behind a pair of big pitching performances from first year Rachel McQueen and senior Emily Reinstadtler.
In the first contest, the teams swapped runs in the second and third innings, with Maya Casey lacing an RBI single in the second and Carley Parsons rapping a well-placed single to lead off the third before scoring on a fielding error. PSU Brandywine struck for three in the top of the fourth, with three consecutive bases loaded walks, but McQueen was summoned from the bullpen to settle things down and did so deftly, inducing a lineout to third to end the frame.
Keeping the Fords in the contest was a persistent and tactical offensive approach that saw Madison Hujber reach ahead of a perfect sacrifice bunt from McQueen. Kaila Uyeda then delivered a sacrifice fly to pull the Fords closer, and the Fords added a run in the fifth, pulling to within 5-4 as Abby Marquis delivered a one-out double to plate Mia Kessinger.
Haverford's biggest rally of the game came as they took the lead for good in the sixth. Phoebe May doubled after a walk to Hujber, and McQueen then reached on a bunt single that stopped perfectly in front of home plate. Kaila Uyeda walked with the bases loaded to tie the contest at 5-5, and Kessinger then delivered a hard-hit single up the middle to give the Fords the advantage. Marquis later rocketed a liner to center field for a sacrifice fly, plating McQueen for an insurance run.
In the circle, McQueen held the Nittany Lions at bay with 3.1 innings of no-hit relief, facing 13 batters and walking just two while picking up her first career win. Hujber and Kessinger each notched multi-hit games while Uyeda had a strong turn from the top of the order with her two RBI. Marquis added three RBI out of the cleanup spot.
In game two, Haverford sent its senior captain Reinstadtler to the hill as the senior twirled a gem at home, surrendering just four hits and a first-inning home run from Meghan Ferry.
Undaunted by surrendering an early run, the North Carolina product settled nicely into a groove, putting down the Nittany Lions' offensive salvos in the second and third ahead of Haverford's fourth inning rally.
Marquis singled and Tessa Pearlstein then connected on a sacrifice bunt to move pinch runner Abby Olivier into scoring position. After Susie Pieper reached on an error ,Hujber connected on a single to plate Reinstadtler, who had earlier reached on a fielder's choice, and Pieper then scored as the right fielder made a miscue to let the ball get past her reach. Suddenly, Haverford had the lead at 2-1. The Fords added an insurance run in the fifth as the visitors made an error on a double-steal by Kessinger and Parsons, allowing Parsons to score as the ball trickled past the PSU Brandywine shortstop and into the outfield.
The story of game two came alive in the circle as Reinstadtler faced 27 batters, surrendering just four hits and three walks while striking out five. Rebecca Halford was also strong in her pitching turn for the visitors, as she scattered five hits over her six innings of work and did not allow an earned run.
Haverford now returns to action on Thursday, March 24, making the quick trip to Immaculata for a doubleheader, with the first game slated to begin at 3 p.m. and the second to follow at approximately 5 p.m.