Softball one-hit by Princeton in twin bill

But Penn bouncesBut Penn bouncesback to blow outBut Penn bouncesback to blow outDelaware State North Carolina-Wilmington lost 10-1 to Princeton, Drexel was beaten up 9-1 by the Tigers and, worst of all, the College of Charleston was mauled 13-2 by the Orange and Black. With those three Princeton drubbings in mind, the Tigers' two 8-0 shutouts of the Penn softball team this past Saturday almost look respectable. But what baffles the mind is the inconsistency of the Quakers' bats, which managed only one hit in both contests. However, the Red and Blue had an excuse. The pitching staff they faced was not only tops in the Ivy League -- but one of the best in Division I softball. Similar to last season, the biggest difference between the Quakers and Tigers, other than their overall records, is consistency. Princeton (25-5, 2-0 Ivy League) headed into the Saturday twin bill riding a 22-game winning streak, while Penn (6-17, 1-3) limped onto Warren Field saddled by a host of injuries to its starting squad. Quakers ace pitcher Vicki Moore (pulled hamstring), shortstop Sherryl Fodera (flu), centerfielder Kara Lecker (sore thumb) and left fielder Laurie Nestler (bruised shin) either played hurt or filled space on the bench. Penn coach Linda Carothers tried to put the two Princeton games in perspective, eluding to the Tigers Division I leading winning streak and Penn's mental mistakes. "Were we intimidated by Princeton?" Carothers asked. "We are a young team and most of them have yet to see competition this good. I think all the nerves and intimidating factors that Princeton has affected us yesterday in practice, and it hurt us. Our practice was not good, and batting practice today could have been better." While it's questionable that extra practice time would have changed the outcome of either game, it might have helped defrost Penn's ice cold bats. On Saturday, only three Quakers reached first base and only catcher Arlyn Katzen managed a hit. Tigers junior Maureen Davis (15-3) and sophomore Alyssa Smith (5-0) showed why Princeton leads the league with a 1.39 ERA. With the Red and Blue offense in a serious funk, Penn hoped to rebound yesterday when it headed south to face Delaware State (1-15). "We didn't know what to expect," Carothers said. "I must say I anticipated they would be stronger competition for us." What Carothers and her Quakers experienced were two blowout wins, 20-1 and 10-1, against a team incomparable to Penn's other Division I opponents. The stat that best exemplified the Quakers' day were the 18 walks committed by Delaware State in the first game alone. "The games today gave people a chance to play who usually don't get into the game," said Penn pitcher Jen Strawley, who tossed a one hitter. Although Penn easily trounced the hapless Hornets, it is the two losses to Princeton that will be counted toward the Quakers' conference record.