Softball climbs above .500 with victory

Last year's doubleheader with West Chester proved to be a battle of great pitching and timely hitting. The dominating performance by Quakers hurler Jen Strawley and clutch hitting on the part of then-junior Laurie Nestler allowed Penn to snap a seven-game losing streak with a 3-0 shutout. Nearly one year later, both teams brought loaded bats into yesterday's twin-bill at West Chester's South Campus field and fireworks prevailed. After falling behind by five runs in the first inning, the Quakers (8-7) battled back with three in the third, fourth and sixth to win, 10-9. In the second game, the Golden Rams were leading 10-9 after two and two-thirds innings when the contest was called for darkness. The 1996 squad, which outside of Sherryl Fodera, Vicki Moore and Nestler lacked much consistent offensive power, would have had trouble overcoming the early five-run deficit. But not this spring. "I think we knew it was the first inning and decided not to panic," Fodera said. "Where as last year if we were down five runs in the first inning everyone would have been like 'Oh my God' this year everyone is just stepping up." Against West Chester (7-10), five Quakers had multiple hit games. Led by Nestler's 4-4 performance and and Fodera's 3-5 day, the Red and Blue roped two doubles, a triple and overall racked up 16 hits versus the Golden Rams' Dana Bahabei. The sting from the 3-2 loss to Lafayette four days ago remained in the minds of all the Penn starters. The Quakers recalled the two errors in the bottom of the sixth which resulted in a late comeback by the Leopards. Yesterday, history came close to repeating itself as West Chester, down by three runs heading into the sixth inning, attempted to overtake Penn. Key hits by the Golden Rams' Kandy Fuller and Heather Hall, who finished 3-4 with four RBI, resulted in two runs in the bottom of the sixth. But the Quakers held their ground behind the arm of freshman Joy Silvern and a bonus run that crossed the plate in the top of the seventh. "I think the key today was definitely our hitting," Fodera said. "We were having a little defensive trouble, but our bats carried us through everything." Fodera distinctly remembers the tough times Penn experienced last year when it came to scoring. The starting shortstop referred to Penn's improved offensive punch as "awesome." Fodera believes that "down the line" the Quakers who started the first game against West Chester are a much better hitting team. Last season the Penn suffered through two long losing streaks of seven and eight games and it was apparent at times that the morale of team was being tested.