Haverford Walks Off Softball, 5-4

CLERMONT, Fla. – Suffolk softball dropped a 5-4 decision to Haverford as the Fords scored two runs in the seventh to walk-off with the one-run victory Thursday at Legends Way at The Spring Games. 

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 4 | Haverford 5
RECORDS: Suffolk (6-6) | Haverford (7-1)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• An error all by the Kyra Van Denburgh's shortstop allowed Ava Lanza to reach safely with one out in the top of the first. She advanced to third courtesy of Catherine Carignan's single through the right side and crossed home on Julia Mills ground out to second to give the blue-and-gold an early 1-0 edge. 
• In the bottom of the second Haverford responded and leveled the playing field at 1-all. Like the blue-and-gold, an error allowed the runner to reach. And two batters later a ground out to second brought in the run to even the score. 
• The Fords went ahead in the bottom of the third. Jocelyn Leal got a free base as she wore a pitch and stole second to get into scoring position in time for Abby Litchfield's base hit right that scored her and put Suffolk in a 2-1 hole. 
• Suffolk responded in the next half inning. Base hits by Claire Basaldua and Jolie Quintana with a sac bunt sandwiched in between put Rams on the corners. Lanza's single to short plated Basaldua and equalized matters at 2-all. 
• The blue-and-gold snuck back in front in the top of the fifth. Lily Newhall knocked a one-out double and she moved to third on a long out to right. Newhall then came in behind Basaldua's single to give Suffolk a 3-2 edge. 
• The teams traded runners in the sixth to keep the one-run margin in the Rams' favor as the game headed to the seventh. Suffolk's score in the sixth came behind Carignan's sac fly to left that plated Sara Butera, who reached on an error.
• The Rams went down in order in the top of the seventh but remained in front by one and were three outs away from the victory. Two consecutive singles put the winning run on second with no outs. Shelby Preissier worked a walk that ended in a wild pitch that rolled to the backstop, which allowed the tying run to coast in. Litchfield then put on her hero cape as she roped a single to center to push the Fords to victory. 

PITCHERS PICTURE

• Newhall took the loss as she allowed five runs, four earned, on eight hits and three walks in 6.0 innings. 
• Sophia Faruol earned the win as she let up just one earned run in 2.0 innings of relief with one strikeout. 
• Shelby Preisser started and compiled a three-run, two-earned, eight-hit, two-walk, one-punchout performance in 5.0 innings.  

STATISTICALY SPEAKING

• Basaldua produced two hits and one RBI. 
• Quintana registered two hits. 
• Lanza logged one hit, one RBI and on run.
• Carignan chipped in one hit and one RBI. 
• Newhall recorded two hits, including one double, and one run scored. 
• Butera added one hit and one run. 
• Mills brought in one run and Abby Barnaby scored one run. 

NOTEWORTHY

• Suffolk and Haverford met for the third time in program history, first since March 10, 2024. 
• The Rams are now 1-2 all-time against the Fords. 
• Jolie Quintana (7 games, 10 hits), Lanza (5 games, 9 hits), and Carignan (5 games, 7 hits) extended their hit streaks. 
• Basaldua matched a career-high two hits. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk concludes its Spring Training trip this afternoon against Haverford.