Voves wows in bounce-back

A good team is defined not only by its performance when times are high, but also by its response to adversity when spirits are low.

Following four straight losses a week ago, Penn softball returned the favor against rival Princeton this weekend, as it swept the Tigers in a four-game series, winning, 4-2, 2-1, 7-2 and 9-2.

The sweep essentially saves the season for Penn (14-16-1, 6-6 Ivy), which now sits only one and a half games behind division-leader Cornell. Princeton (13-21, 4-8) falls from second place to third.

“This puts us back into contention,” senior captain and catcher Alisha Prystowsky said. “Mentally, it lets us know that we’re still in there, that we’re still fighting and that we still have something left.”

It seemed like nothing could go wrong for the Quakers, but what stood out most against the Tigers were pitching performances by freshman Mikenzie Voves and junior Cailyn Hennessy.

Both hurlers finished what they started, as each tossed two complete games. They allowed only seven combined runs in four games.

“They did a fantastic job,” coach Leslie King said. “It was a matter of going out there, being aggressive, hitting their spots and getting ahead of hitters. ... They did a nice job of that.”

Voves, who got knocked around in three starts last weekend, said she took a different approach this time.

“I took it one pitch at a time instead of trying to think ahead or worrying about runners on base,” Voves explained. “I just focused on the batter that was up there.”

After starting four games in four days last weekend, she admitted her “shoulder has been a little sore,” but said she is not fatigued. The young pitcher leads the Quakers in most pitching categories, including innings pitched (100.1) and complete games (7).

Pitching, though, was not the only bright spot for Penn this weekend. Although the hits in the series were even, the Red and Blue managed to outscore the Tigers, 22-7, by employing small ball and adding timely hitting.

“We were scrappy,” Prystowsky said with a smile. “We made it a team goal to make sure we ran everything out, [and] we took the extra bases when we saw them. We just wanted to pay good respect to the game and play it well.”

The lone long ball on the weekend came off the bat of Prystowsky— her third of the season — in the final game.

With the wind gusting in from center field, she lined the eleventh pitch of the at-bat over the wall in dead center, giving her team a 5-1 lead in the second inning.

King credited her senior leaders, including Prystowsky, for the turnaround from last weekend.

“They came to the coaching staff, and we put together a game plan for the team,” King said. “We had one option and that was to go out and play hard, play aggressive and play up to our potential.”

Next weekend, Penn will take its four-game winning streak to Ithaca, N.Y., for a four-game series against Cornell that could go a long way in deciding the title race.

“We’re going to try to go out there and make plays, do what we do and keep the ball rolling,” Prystowsky said.

“We’re feeling good and we’re going to try to ride it as long as we can.”

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