With the softball season rounding third and heading home, Penn is still alive in the race for the Ivy title. That may be a long shot, but with 10 Ivy League games over the next nine days, anything is possible. Competition around the Ivies is at its highest level in many years, and while the Ivy season is still young, many teams can potentially win the Ivy title with a strong finish. "I think we are all excited for Ivy play," Penn coach Linda Carothers said. "We are going to find some identity. Regardless of the results, it is going to give us a good idea of where we have go from here, and what we have to accomplish." Tomorrow, the Quakers host Brown (8-15-1, 4-0 Ivy League) for a doubleheader at Warren Field. Despite Brown's losing record, the Bears hold the lead in the race for the Ivy title. With the return of Brown ace Katie King from the Women's Ice Hockey World Championships, the team has gone 6-3 in their last nine games. Brown senior second baseman Becky Kellar was named this week's Ivy Player of the Week. Sunday, Yale will travel down to renew the annual rivalry. The Elis may be this year's biggest surprise. With a record of 24-14 (3-1 Ivy League), Yale is ranked No. 3 in the Northeast region. Yale's impressive season is directly a result of the addition of freshman shortstop Kathy Ching and freshman catcher Carlie Ware, who leads the Ivy League in hitting (.435). The two have combined for the last three of four Rookie of the Week awards. "Any of the teams in the Ivy League have a legitimate chance of winning it," Penn junior catcher Jen Stanwix said. "It's much more evenly matched than in the past. If we come out to play every one of our games very hard, than we can beat any of our opponents." With Brown's resurgence of late, Yale's impressive start and with the ever-present lurking of Princeton, which is always a late-season threat, the Quakers chances of winning the league are slim. Penn would have to win every remaining game. However, the Quakers are a young and improving team that won't sneak up on anyone. "I think that everybody that plays us knows that they have to show up and play us tough," Carothers said. "That's a reputation we've been working hard to develop along the line." Going up against the two top hitting teams in the league in Yale and Brown, respectively, Penn pitchers must once again regain the dominance that they have shown in glimpses. While freshmen Suzanne Arbogast and Joy Silvern have been welcome additions, it is essential that captains Vicki Moore and Jen Strawley demonstrate their leadership and experience to guide the team through the rest of the rigorous season. The recent swings and misses by the Penn bats can no longer be tolerated. The aluminum bats must connect and runs must score. The pitching that Penn will face is going to be as good as they have seen all season. Yale pitcher Teri Hickey leads the league in wins, while Brown pitcher Katie King has a league-leading low earned run average of 1.16. "We are definitely physically capable of beating these teams, and everyone needs to know that in their heads," Stanwix said. "Knowing that should bring the emotion and intensity back to the level it was at earlier this season."
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