Softball goes 1-3, including two losses to Tigers

Last weekend, the Penn softball team was looking to get a few more wins under its belt before heading into the heart of its Ivy League season.

With two losses to Ivy League rival Princeton and a split-decision against Rider University, the Quakers closed out the weekend with their hopes a bit unfulfilled.

Penn (11-17, 0-2 Ivy) fell to the Tigers, 2-0 and 4-2, in a doubleheader at home on Saturday.

Penn beat the Broncos, 8-4, in the first game of its two game set on Sunday, but succumbed Rider's offensive strength in the second game, losing, 8-5.

"We needed to be more aggressive offensively," Penn freshman Courtney Dilts said. "We played very good defensively, but we could not put it together our offense."

Princeton's hitting powerhouse senior Brie Gailicinao also proved to be a pitching ace, allowing only four hits throughout the first game.

She also scored one of the Tigers' two runs, both of which came in the third inning. The other run came on a solo home run by senior Kim Veenstra.

In the nightcap, the Quakers found themselves down after three innings once again, this time by a 3-0 margin.

Princeton junior Jen Neil lead off with a single and advanced to second on sophomore Wendy Bingham's bunt. Freshman Kristin Lueke singled to right center field and crossed the plate along with Neil on a drive to right field by Gailicinao.

Becky Nemec had the final RBI of the inning for the Tigers, plating Gailicinao with a single.

The Tigers continued to dominate into the fourth inning, with Gailiciano providing the offense again, driving Neil home with a double to left center field.

Penn was able to hold Princeton scoreless for the remainder of the game, but the Quakers' bats could only put two runs on the board.

Penn junior Christa Farrell lead off the sixth inning with a single and scored when sophomore Veronica Richardson hit to get on base.

The Quakers' final run was scored by Dilts who crossed the plate on senior Jennifer Moore's single.

On Sunday, Penn faced a much less ominous foe in Rider (5-18).

The decidedly less-talented pitching staff gave the Red and Blue a chance to demonstrate their offensive strength. And they did that in the first game, putting eight runs on the board.

Penn sophomore Nicole Borgstadt (8-9) earned the win.

Rider was first to score, plating two runs early in the first inning. Sophomore Melissa Muniz scored on an RBI triple by senior Heather Boyle, who later scored as well.

The Broncos would maintain a 2-1 advantage into the fifth inning, when the Red and Blue scored five runs. Penn tacked on two more in the sixth to put the game out of reach.

In the final game of a long weekend, the Broncos proved to be too much for the tired Quakers to handle. Rider took the lead early, and held on despite a Penn rally.

"It was the same offensive problem," Dilts said. "We did put together a few hits, but they were few and far between."

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