Newcomer Stone starring for Haverford softball
This is Marybeth Stone’s first season playing for the 10-2 Haverford softball team but the sophomore first baseman is off to a big start.
Stone, a transfer from Middlebury College and a Governor Mifflin graduate, is hitting .500 (19-for38) with five doubles, 10 runs scored and 15 runs batted in. In a three-game stretch in Kissimmee, Fla., on March 13-15, the lefthanded hitter was 9-for-11 with four runs scored and six runs batted in as The Fords defeated St. Norbert’s (11-7), Susquehanna (4-2) and Wheaton (13-2). Haverford opened play in the Centennial Conference with a doubleheader sweep of Muhlenberg (7-5, 8-4) on March 27 in Allentown and Stone had three hits in five at-bats plus two walks with two runs scored and an RBI.
“Marybeth has been key to the team’s success so far, both on the field and off,” coach Kate Poppe said. “We are so glad that she decided Haverford was the right fit for her and she has certainly been a great fit with the team.”
Besides her hitting, Stone is a solid defender at first base making just three errors on 74 chances (.959).
“Marybeth is always looking for ways to get better and help her team get better,” Poppe said. “She has a positive attitude and a quiet confidence that contribute to our team’s edge.”
Stone played in 30 games for Middlebury as a freshman and hit .405. SAMANTHA SNYDER (EXETER) » The Lafayette women’s tennis team with no seniors on the roster is 3-6 thus far this spring but the Leopards had a big effort in a 4-0 Patriot League victory over Holy Cross on March 24 in West Point, N.Y. and the freshman had a big part in the victory. Snyder captured her No. 2 singles match 6-4, 6-0 and teamed with fellow freshman Cecelia Lesnick of Morristown, N.J. to take No. 1 doubles 6-4. Snyder also had a big effort to help Lafayette turn back Slippery Rock in a non-league match March 11 in Hilton Head, S.C. She and Lesnick took their doubles match 8-5 and then she rallied from a 0-6 start to take No. 2 singles 6-3 and 10-7.
ERIC MOCK (GOVERNOR MIFFLIN) » The 6-foot-2, 220-pound redshirt sophomore continues to be the closer for the 7-12 Penn State baseball team. The right-hander has pitched in seven games with three saves. He has a 4.72 earned run average working 13.1 innings and giving up 11 hits and seven runs, all earned, with five walks and 17 strikeouts. Mock picked up his latest save in a 5-3 nonleague victory over New Jersey Tech on March 17 in University Park. He worked the final three innings and gave up one hit and one run, which was earned, with no walks and four strikeouts. LEAH FRANKLIN (EXETER) » The Lebanon Valley goalkeeper was named MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Week on March 19 after she keyed the women’s lacrosse team to an 11-5 victory over Shenandoah March 17 in Annville. It was her second award of the season. Franklin had 15 saves in the victory and also had a team-high five ground balls. Franklin followed up that effort with two more big games. She had nine saves in a 13-9 victory over Elizabethtown on March 25 and played the last 47.26 minutes in a 2110 triumph over Lycoming on March 29, giving up five goals with 13 saves. SHAUN O’REILLY (EXETER) » The 6-foot-4, 205-pound sophomore right-hander is 2-1 with a 2.51 earned run average in three games with two starts for the Albright baseball team, the Lions 6-5 overall and 1-3 in MAC Commonwealth play after a 5-3 league victory over Stevenson on March 29 in Reading. O’Reilly picked up his first victory with three innings of relief in a 5-2 victory over Marywood on March 6, giving up three hits and a run, which was earned, with two walks and three strikeouts. His second victory came in a 6-2 triumph over Eastern Nazarene on March 12 when he started and gave up five hits
COURTESY HAVERFORD ATHLETICS
Haverford’s Marybeth Stone (Gov. Mifflin).
and an earned run in six innings.
BROOKE WENSEL (BERKS CATHOLIC) » The junior was named Patriot League Player of the Week on March 27 for her stellar play with the 4-22 Lafayette softball team. The Bechtelsville native was named after she hit .833 (5-for-6) with two home runs and four runs batted in as the Leopards defeated Holy Cross 13-4 and then lost 8-0 and 12-3 to the Crusaders. Wensel is hitting .278 (20-for-72) with three doubles, a triple, three home runs, 15 runs scored and seven runs batted in. In an 8-5 victory over St. Peter’s on March 29, she had a home run and single with four RBIs.
ROSS PILLIOD (BERKS CATHOLIC) » The 6-foot-1 junior finished tied for 72nd in a field of 127 golfers to help the St. Joseph’s men’s golf team finish ninth of 24 teams at William & Mary’s Kingsmill Intercollegiate March 25-27 in Williamsburg, Va. Pilliod had rounds of 80 75 and 74 for a 229 total. The Hawks opened the spring season by finishing eighth out of eight teams at the Atlantic 10 Match Play Championships Feb.19-20 in Weston, Fla. Pilliod won his match against Oakland 3 and 1 and halved his match against George Washington.