Princeton shows no mercy in sweeping Softball

Suzy had a steamboat, and the Penn softball team rode it on a wave from their first two Ivy victories all the way to Princeton. Then the steamboat sank. The Quakers (13-18, 2-6 Ivy League) went quietly as the Tigers (24-17, 7-1) steamrolled over sandy 1895 Field, winning both games by the score of 8-0. Both games were cut short when the Tigers, against whom Penn is 1-28 all-time, surpassed the eight-run margin, in accordance with the mercy rule. The Quakers were unfocused, over-matched and allowed mental lapses to dictate the outcome of both games. In the first game, Tigers pitcher Lynn Miller, this week's Ivy League Player of the Week, pitched a one-hit shutout, winning her eighth straight game. Miller, now 5-0 in Ivy play, has allowed only one run in her last 35 innings. She allowed only three baserunners, giving up two walks and an infield hit to sophomore Arlyn Katzen in the second inning. After that, Miller shut the door on a Penn comeback, striking out eight Quakers in six innings. Penn freshman Suzanne Arbogast pitched three scoreless innings before the Tigers opened the floodgates and unleashed a hitting barrage. The game ended in the bottom of the sixth inning when senior Vicki Moore gave up a two-RBI double and the lead was extended to 8-0. In the second game, Penn didn't fare any better. The Quakers faced the second half of Princeton's pitching platoon in senior Maureen Davies. Davies, last year's Ivy League Pitcher of the Year, picked up where Miller left off. She struck out nine Penn batters in just five innings. Another freshman, Joy Silvern, pitched the second game for Penn. She gave up four earned runs before being relieved by Arbogast in the third inning. Penn coach Linda Carothers has not been afraid to throw her freshman pitchers against the best team in the Ivy League. It might have been intimidation that led to the Tigers' dominance. "We were intimidated by them and were not aggressive," Carothers said. "We are too good. There is no reason for us to be intimidated by any team." For the first time all season, the Quakers' freshmen played like the inexperienced players they are. Arbogast and Silvern each earned a loss, and, at the plate, freshmen were a combined 0-for-16. "I think some of the freshmen were a little nervous going into the game," Penn freshman Michelle Zaptin said. "We should have gone in there thinking it was any old team." Nothing went right for Penn. Ground balls bounced off of gloves instead of bouncing into Quakers' mitts. Penn only managed four combined hits in the two games. For the seniors, who have not beaten Princeton in their four years at Penn, it was disappointing to end the rivalry on such a low note. "We were all really pumped for this game," Quakers senior Laurie Nestler said. "I think we played scared after they scored a few runs." Even the so-called "impenetrable" Sherryl Fodera had an error, while managing only one hit in five at bats. However, despite her subpar outing yesterday, Fodera was named Ivy Player of the Week for the second time this season. Fodera led the Quakers to their first two Ivy victories over Yale on Sunday. Fodera went 10-for-13 against both Brown and Yale this past weekend. She had two doubles, a triple and seven RBIs. She raised her batting average to .443 -- good for second in the league -- improved her slugging percentage to .602 and upped her on-base percentage to .479. She currently leads the team in RBIs with 23, hits with 40 and pitchers injured with one.