Softball prepares for Ivies

After winning a doubleheader with Villanova last Wednesday, the Penn softball team knows it will continue to win only if it won't let itself lose. With the Wildcats capitalizing on nearly every Quaker error in the game, Penn was fortunate strong hitting and pitching efforts tipped the scale in its favor. But Penn won't be able to count on its offense alone forever, especially as the Quakers begin their Ivy schedule. Penn will face Lafayette at Warren Field today with the hope it will not make as many dangerous mistakes. "Our problem is that we tend to beat ourselves, instead of having them beat us," freshman Samantha Smithson said. "We should have been able to beat nearly every team we've played this year." Since the team has had little experience playing together -- several new freshmen faces mark both the starting infield and outfield -- the Quakers (7-10) are counting on the experienced leadership of senior captain Rachel Walsh and senior catcher Stacey Thompson to keep the intensity level high and add two more wins to their record. "We are still a young team," Walsh said. "We are trying to discover each other's limits." Until Villanova, Penn split several doubleheaders in a row largely due to errors that remain as glaring reminders of their inexperience. "Most of the games we've lost are games we should have won," Nestler said. "They've scored most of their runs on our errors." As the Quakers face Lafayette, they hope to extend their three-game winning streak and put the past behind. If Penn's defense can come through, Penn should beat Lafayette. Last year Penn swept the Leopards with a squad lacking this year's strong freshmen talent. "We have to step up a level," Smithson said. "We have to play more intense instead of going down to the other team's level." "If we play well, we should blow them out," Walsh said. With their eyes focused on the Ivy League contests later in their schedule, tomorrow should be a good chance to work on making the defense come together. The Quakers will be gaining important experience and momentum. This has already been illustrated by a decline in errors from the season's first games. "Before Ivies, we definitely need to step up our defense," Walsh said. "We are very capable of it. We have made steady progress defensively since Florida. Looking at the early games compared to now, we have improved a lot... but we still haven't peaked." Given a solid defensive effort today, the team will be counting on the offense to come through. With the power hitting of Thompson, senior Hilary Stamos and freshman Laurie Nestler at the plate the Quakers are prepared to win. "We're ready to go," Nestler said. "Everybody seemed to be hitting the ball well in practice. As long as everybody is on at the same time, I think we'll do well....They are very beatable." However, Penn will be looking for consistent hitting across the board, rather than from just a few key players. "Our hitting will have to come through," Smithson said. "Our No. 1 and 2 batters did not get on in the last game. Although the bulk of our hitting is in the middle, we have to come together with everyone in the lineup hitting."