Softball splits with Cornell to open Ivy season

For about 15 minutes, the Penn softball team was sitting comfortably atop the Ivy League division. Unfortunately, that moment of ecstacy was short-lived. Following the Quakers' 2-0 win over Cornell in their Ivy opener Saturday, the Big Red ruined the Quakers day by edging them 4-2 in the nightcap. And that wasn't worst of it. Junior Vicki Moore, Penn's cleanup hitter and staff ace, pulled a hamstring stealing second base in the fifth inning of game two. Moore will be evaluated by the team trainer today to determine how long she will be sidelined. "I never steal second voluntarily," said Moore, who has inadvertently swiped four already this season. "Both of my stolen bases today were botched hit-and-run plays." The loss of Moore puts added pressure on sophomore Jen Strawley, the only proven pitcher the Quakers have left. Until Moore returns, Strawley will have to carry the Quakers (6-15, 1-1 Ivy League) on her already overworked right shoulder. Strawley, who worked only 47 innings last season, has already thrown 59 this year with the season just half over. "Strawley knows what she has to do," Penn coach Linda Carothers said. "And I have confidence in her that she can get it done." In fact, Carothers called on Strawley to replace Moore in Saturday's nightcap, in spite of the fact that Strawley (2-6) had pitched a six-hit shutout in the opener only hours earlier. That not only left Penn with a tired arm on the mound, but a light bat in the lineup. Strawley, still bothered by a broken pinky finger on her left hand, cannot take a full swing at the plate. And trailing Cornell (8-7, 1-1) by a 4-2 count with one out in the bottom of the seventh and runners on the corners, a full swing was exactly what the Quakers needed. But with Strawley at the plate, Carothers signaled for a squeeze bunt. Just as they did when Moore was injured in the fifth inning, the Quakers botched the play. Strawley bunted through strike three, while freshman Sherryl Fodera was caught halfway between first and second for a game-ending, strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play. Why didn't Carothers pinch hit for Strawley with hot-hitting catcher Rachel Benepe on the bench? "Jen is a contact hitter, and all I need is the ball hit in play," said Carothers, who also dismissed the possibility of using Benepe because freshman Meghan Leary would be forced to pitch the eighth inning. Carothers indicated that she did not have confidence in Leary in a late-inning, pressure situation. Moore (2-4) took the loss after pitching well in relief Wednesday at Drexel. Despite a shaky first inning in which Cornell scored two runs, Moore settled in and yielded only three hits before her injury. Things went much better Strawley and the Quakers in Saturday's first game. Penn got the only run it would need in the second inning. Moore led off with a single and came around to score three batters later when second baseman Lauren Mishner surprised the Big Red infield with a two-out bunt. "Strawley was on her game today," Penn coach Linda Carothers said. "With the exception of one error, we backed Jen up real well with our defense. But Jen just flat out pitched a great game." For Strawley, who has pitched top-notch softball all season, but with little to show for it in the win column, the victory was well deserved. Boasting one of the top three ERAs in the Ivy League and ranked among the leaders in strikeouts with 27, Strawley's performance to date has been the surprise of the young season. Another pleasant surprise has been slugger Laurie Nestler's assault on opposing pitchers, who up until this past week led the Ivy League in batting average (.474) and triples (5). But in the past four games, Nestler has struggled -- going 1-for-9 without driving in a run. With Nestler in the midst of a mini-slump, Mishner, in particular, has filled in for Nestler's suddenly cold bat. Since Mishner's last plate appearance at Columbia a week ago when she slammed a single up the middle, the Quakers' second baseman has been on a tear, batting .500 over the past four games. "I am seeing the ball better now," Mishner said. "Right now I have more confidence and basically I am just more relaxed at the plate." With the weekend split, the Quakers have now won four of their last seven games. But while Penn flickered atop the Ivy League standings for a few moments, Moore's injury and a date with defending Ivy champion Princeton this weekend leave Penn's Ivy League prospects decidedly dimmer.