It is days like Saturday that make Penn fans appreciate Tim Krug's manhandling of Rick Hielscher and the Quakers' defensive domination of Keith Elias on the gridiron. Penn-Princeton games have always taken on added meaning, no matter what the sport. Saturday's softball doubleheader was no different. But unlike those recent basketball and football contests, it was the Tigers who entered as the overwhelming favorites. The Quakers (7-22, 0-2 Ivy League) got to witness first-hand one of the great Ivy League dynasties of all time. Princeton has won 10 of the last 12 Ancient Eight softball titles, and if this weekend was any indication, an 11th championship is on its way. In the first game at Princeton's1895 Field, the Tigers crushed Penn, 11-2. Quakers pitcher Vicki Moore could not handle the bottom of the Princeton lineup, as the seven, eight and nine hitters combined for seven hits. Princeton's Traci Fox, batting in the eight slot, went 3 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Stacy Thurber, a third-team all-America last season, added two hits, as did Heather Massey. The only Tiger not to collect at least one hit was catcher Tara Pignoli. But she did reach twice on walks, eventually scoring both times. While Princeton's offense was a team effort, the Quakers' attack was a three-woman affair. Moore, Laurie Nestler and Dawn Kulp went a combined 4 for 4 on the day. But the rest of the lineup was a collective 0 for 14. Kulp collected two of those hits, one a single and one a double, both of which drove in runs. Nestler added a double in her only at-bat of the game. Moore (2-7) struggled in her first time on the mound since returning from a groin injury. In four innings of work, she gave up 12 hits and walked three. Penn junior Kristin Richeimer, who admirably filled in at catcher after Sam Smithson and Rachel Benepe went down with injuries, struggled at her natural position of third base. Richeimer committed two of the Quakers' four errors in the game. Although the bottom of the Princeton lineup could not repeat its first-game performance, the heart of the order had no difficulty making up the difference in Princeton's 10-2 victory in the nightcap. Michelle Morale, Mandy Pfeiffer, Pignoli and Amy Whelan -- batting in the third through sixth positions -- racked up nine of the Tigers' 10 hits. Princeton leadoff hitter Jen Babik proved to be a pest to Quakers hurler Melanie Bolt, reaching base three times, all on walks, stealing two bases and scoring twice. Overall, the Tigers (24-8, 2-0) played textbook softball -- solid defense, timely hitting and smart baserunning. "Their first batter would usually get on," Moore said. "Then they would bunt her around, and drive her in with a hit. They knew how to play the game. "Princeton doesn't make any errors. They execute perfectly. They make the plays." Sunday, the action moved to Warren Field, where Penn played host to Butler. Freshman Jen Strawley got the pitching assignment in the first game. After a shaky start to her collegiate career, Strawley has put together two impressive starts in a row. But unlike her outing against West Chester last Wednesday, Strawley came away with the victory -- the first of her collegiate career -- as the Quakers beat the Bulldogs, 6-3. In the second game, Butler stole a victory away from Penn, scoring seven runs in the seventh and final inning off Kulp and winning 11-4. "In the first game, we didn't make many errors," Moore said. "Our pitcher kept the hitters off balance, and we got hits when we needed hits. In the second game, they just got on our pitcher. They were really hitting the ball solidly." The weekend played out pretty much as expected. Princeton was too fundamentally sound and too experienced for the young Quakers. The series split with Butler was also consistent with the team's relative talent. "Usually when people come from out west or from the Midwest, you think they're going to blow you away," Moore said. "We hung with them, though." Butler did not make the long trip from Indianapolis to get swept. "They were out running before the game," Penn's Laura Guimond said. "They were running for a while, and they were really into it. They were psyched. That's what we lacked. "We were pretty even, but they had that attitude."
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