It was a day of mixed emotions for the Penn softball team.
While the Quakers (7-8-1, 0-0 Ivy) combined for a total 11 runs in two games against state-rival Lafayette -- ten more than they scored against Delaware last weekend -- they were only able to take one win away in their doubleheader against the Leopards.
The Red and Blue lost the first game, 5-4, and won the second game, 7-6, in five innings. The final game was cut short in the middle of the sixth inning due to darkness.
Penn coach Carol Kashow cited her team's offense as being an area in need of improvement after the Delaware losses, and while the Quakers only got one victory in Easton, Pa., they found the spark missing from their bats.
The first game marked the first loss in five games for the Quakers.
Penn jumped on the Leopards early in the afternoon game, as the Quakers loaded the bases with three straight singles before sophomore Zayha Hantz smacked a three-run double, giving the Quakers a 3-0 lead.
However, in the third inning, sophomore Diana Mitchell launched a home run into right-centerfield off Penn freshman Gina Talley to put Lafayette on the board.
Senior Rebecca Ranta pitched two innings of relief for Talley, but the Leopards had her number. Lafayette scored one run in each of the subsequent innings, which proved to be just enough for Lafayette to get its third win.
The Penn squad came out swinging during the nightcap, exposing Lafayette's vulnerable pitching staff that has already given up six or more runs in eight times this season.
Senior second baseman Crista Farrell batted in senior first baseman Erica Miller in the top of the third inning for the Quakers before crossing the plate herself to give Penn a 2-0 lead.
Farrell scored three times in the two games for the Red and Blue.
The Leopards were ready to pounce, smacking two two-run singles in the bottom-half of the inning, putting Lafayette in the lead.
It was at this point that a combination of great pitching, clutch hitting and timely darkness came for Penn.
Using a series of fundamentals such as well-placed hits and sacrifice bunts, the Quakers jumped back ahead, 7-4, by the fifth inning. With junior Nicole Borgstadt on the mound, the Quakers got a quick 1-2-3 inning out of the Leopards before loading the bases to them in the bottom of the fifth.
Lafayette was only able to score two runs before the umpires called the game.
