Dragons slay Softball in cold

The story is familiar to the Penn softball team. A generally well-played game is spoiled by a few ill-timed errors and bad breaks that lead to a disappointing final result. Yesterday, that scenario was played out twice in a doubleheader against crosstown-rival Drexel at frozen Warren Field. The Quakers experienced their first doubleheader sweep at home, losing 4-1 in the opener and 2-0 in 10 innings in a controversy-marred nightcap. The first contest saw Penn fall behind early by letting the Dragons (10-10) score via defensive lapses and walks. The Quakers' loss was as much a result of Penn mistakes as it was Drexel's effectiveness. Jennifer Strawley's strong pitching and Vicky Moore's run-producing triple were overshadowed by what has plagued Penn all year: defensive inconsistency. Most of that stems from the Quakers' rampant injury troubles. Penn (6-19) has been forced to field starting lineups that have nearly everyone playing at something other than her natural position. That has stripped Penn of any type of continuity this season. "We need to play more like a team, in terms of communication and picking up each other," outfielder Lisa Zelnick said. "We're playing well but we end up beating ourselves through a few mistakes." In the nightcap it looked as if Penn would avoid its previous miscues and finally change its fortunes. In the second inning, two walks and a bunt enabled the Dragons to load the bases with no outs. But this time Penn would not let its foes get cheap runs. Two sterling defensive plays produced force-outs at home. Then, on a full count, Moore struck out shortstop Jaime Long to end the threat. Drexel would not mount another serious threat in regulation. Meanwhile, Dragons hurler Jeannette Chobot frustrated the Quakers' offense. Through four innings, only Moore was able to get aboard. But in the fifth, shortstop Laurie Nestler got her first of two doubles on a towering drive that landed inches short of the 200-foot-sign in left field. Penn could have used a bit more distance on the hit because Nestler was subsequently left stranded in scoring position. That was the extent of the Penn offensive in the first seven frames. So it went, 0-0, defense countering defense, through the cold afternoon and into frigid evening. The eighth inning looked to be Penn's undoing. Vicky Ventura slammed a hit to center to lead off. Then Wendy Colby laid down a bunt that was picked up and thrown into center field, permitting all hands to be safe. The runners were advanced to second and third on a sacrifice bunt. Catcher Heather Pandullo then hit a shot up the middle that looked like a sure hit until Moore snagged it. She threw to third to double up Ventura and squelch the rally. But, eventually, Penn could just not escape its mistakes. With two outs in the 10th, Moore gave up a bloop hit to Colby, who advanced to second on a passed ball. Third baseman Jen Dilorio then knocked a clean base hit to center. Shore's throw home was barely late, and Colby's run finally broke the deadlock. Penn's troubles were compounded when Nestler threw Pandullo's grounder away, allowing Dilorio to come home and make it 2-0. But Drexel would not get its sweep so easily. With a handful of shivering, yet dedicated fans behind them, the Quakers put up a counter-rally in the bottom of the 10th. With one down and Shore on first, catcher Rachel Benepe hit a fly ball that landed in short right field. Drexel's Rebekah Pfeiffer's toss got away, and the hustling Shore went for third. She and the ball arrived at the bag at the same time, but the umpire called her out, leading to an uproar from the Quakers. The men in blue did not cease to be factors. With two out and Benepe at first, Melanie Bolt hit a grounder that got through the right side of the infield. Again the Dragons tried to get the runner at first, and again Penn got the short end of the call. Game over. Another wrenching loss. Although the final plays applied an unsettling feel to the day, the Quakers realize their losses stem from more than one factor. "Sure, when you have bad calls, it doesn't provide a satisfying conclusion to an otherwise hard-fought performance," Penn coach Linda Carothers said. "But we also committed six errors in two games and that does not help. We're still growing and we have to learn to stop the mental mistakes. "As we enter the Ivy League season, we've exposed what we can do well and what we still have to work on. Sometime soon we're going to put together a complete game. Whomever we're playing then will be in for trouble."