Softball looks to quiet Blue Hens

As an important weekend looms, Penn heads to Delaware. After losing one game and having three others postponed because of rain in a single weekend, the Penn softball team is eager to forget about the weather and start winning some games. Last weekend, Penn's only game of record was a 10-5 loss at Harvard. The Quakers, who had used late-inning rallies to squeak out big wins over Cornell and Princeton the previous weekend, fell victim to a five-run sixth inning that broke a 5-5 tie and ended any hope of a Penn victory. The loss at Harvard dropped Penn's league record to a dismal 2-7 and guaranteed that the Quakers will finish up the Ivy season below .500. With only three league games remaining, one against Harvard and a doubleheader against Dartmouth, Penn is just playing for pride in the Ancient Eight. The Quakers will get a break from their league schedule tomorrow when they head to Delaware for an afternoon doubleheader. With the Red and Blue's luck of late, don't be surprised if the game is rained out. "It was definitely a little frustrating dealing with all the postponements and dealing with the weather," Penn coach Carol Kashow said. "Hopefully we managed to use our time well and it gave us a chance to get a little unexpected rest before we finish up the season." The Quakers have been struggling mightily recently and have lost nine of their last 11 games to drop to 13-25-1 for the year. The Red and Blue will need to win at least six of their final nine contests in order to match last year's winning percentage when the Quakers finished 15-22. The Blue Hens could present the Quakers with some problems. Delaware has been impressive and at times dominant en route to its overall 26-9 record. The Blue Hens, who are 11-3 in the America East Conference, are ranked seventh in the northeastern region in the NCAA's most recent poll. "We know that they have improved a lot and have been playing very, very well, especially in their conference," Kashow said. "They're hitting the ball excellently, and they have some great pitchers." Junior third baseman Lauren Mark is having a breakout year for the Blue Hens, batting .416. Mark also leads Delaware with 22 RBI and is a perfect 5-for-5 on stolen base attempts. Sophomore and 1999 first team All-Ivy League selection Jen Moore leads the Penn offensive attack that has struggled throughout the season. Moore, who is batting .347, is the only player for Penn hitting over .300. "Just like all the other games, our goal is just going to be to go out there and play our type of softball," Kashow said. "If we hope to win, we need to be aggressive and bring all aspects of our game." A lack of consistent offensive production has definitely been the Quaker's biggest deficiency. Penn has fallen victim to one perfect game and three no-hitters in the last six contests. The Quakers' five runs against Harvard equaled their highest output in the last 11 games. "We're just excited to have a chance to play after having a little bit of a layoff," Kashow said. "It should work out well to play mid-week and then get a little more practice before we play Harvard and Cornell this weekend."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.