Softball looking to end 10-game losing streak

The Penn softball team was scheduled to play La Salle on March 20, however the game was cancelled due to inclement weather. Since that date both teams have suffered worse than rainouts. The Quakers have won only two games, while the Explorers have not fared much better, winning three of 11 since the two were scheduled to meet. La Salle broke a nine-game losing streak two Fridays ago when they edged Fordham, 2-1.

The Quakers are looking to break out of their own 10-game funk, with four losses coming this weekend in a pair of double headers against Yale and Brown. While Penn lost the first end of the Brown game by 10 runs, Quakers coach Carol Kashow felt that narrowing the final deficit to three in the bottom end of the doubleheader showed team character.

If Penn is to come out with a win today, it will have to convert with runners on base.

"It was a real gut check to come back against Brown," Kashow said Sunday. "That's something that bites us in the butt a little bit. We had the bases loaded and we had a couple of tough strike calls against Brown. At that point we had a nice little rally going."

Excluding its preseason tournament in Florida, Penn's record now stands at 2-11-1, and 0-6 within the Ivy League. This is consistent with last year's record at this time -- 6-17 and 0-10. If anything, the Quakers claim that they are beginning to see signs of progress.

"Progress-wise we were on track for a while," junior Erin O'Brien said. "We know we're good and the problem is just getting it done on the field. We haven't been doing what we say we will do. We have so much talent.

"I know we all have it right under the surface, we just can't get it out. But I'm optimistic and I feel that in upcoming weeks we can turn it around."

If the Quakers are to start a turnaround senior Crista Farrell will likely need to keep up her stellar hitting.

"I think that Crista is no doubt having a career year. She's a very strong player and just a really tough out at the plate."

Farrell is currently leading the team in hitting with a .411 clip, but her contributions to the team spread far beyond getting a hit nearly one out of two times up to the plate.

"When she gets up to the plate everyone gets excited -- like when Tiger Woods steps up to the tee," Kashow said. "Same thing with Crista, because you never know how far she's going to hit."

Against Brown, Farrell hit a rocket down the left field line -- a hit that went so fast Kashow didn't even see it.

But if the Quakers hope to end their 10-game slide today, it's going to take more than Farrell. Of course, that won't hurt.

"Hitting's a contagious thing," Kashow explained. "It kind of electrifies the whole batting order."

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