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Softball v Rider

There’s nothing like a shutout and three home runs to get a team going.

The Quakers took on La Salle Wednesday in their last contest before heading into Ivy League play and picked up an uplifting 6-0 victory.

Penn (8-9) jumped out to an early lead, taking advantage of two wild pitches to plate the first run of the game. But the contest broke open in the top of the sixth inning. With runners on second and third, junior Justine Payne launched a three-run homer to give the Quakers a decisive 6-0 lead. La Salle (2-18) could only muster one hit in the final two innings, and the Explorers’ loss extended the team’s losing streak to 12 games.

For Penn, it was the second-straight win and its first shutout of the season.

Freshman Mikenzie Voves — the defending Ivy League Rookie of the Week — and senior Taylor Tieman combined for seven scoreless innings, giving up six hits and striking out nine.

“We really brought it together as a defense,” Voves said. “We played a lot more like a team.”

Coach Leslie King echoed Voves’ assessment.

“We had a really clean performance today. I was very pleased to get a shutout, I think that’ll give our pitching staff a lot of confidence.”

The clinic-like performance showed flashes of the powerful offense that spurred the team to a five-game winning streak during its Florida spring training trip.

The team’s six runs included homers from Payne, freshman Kayla Dahlerbruch and sophomore Samantha Erosa.

It was a welcome sign for Penn, given the important upcoming Ivy League contests this weekend against Harvard and Dartmouth.

“We hit the ball today like we did in Florida,” Dahlerbruch said. “I really feel like we’re ready for Ivy League play. There’s no reason we shouldn’t be able to hit Harvard like we hit La Salle,”

Voves reiterated Dahlerbruch’s confidence in the offense, saying that Harvard would be a “challenge” but that the Quakers should be able to get the win.

“We feel ready, we feel excited,” King said. “We didn’t do a whole lot wrong today, and I really think we can carry that momentum forward. We can’t wait for this weekend.”

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