Junior Brandi King smashed a three-run home run in the fourth inning to cap a four-run rally with no outs that put the Penn softball team ahead 4-3.
The Quakers did not trail again after King's drive, and took home a 6-5 victory in game two of their doubleheader with Colgate yesterday to earn a split on the afternoon.
Penn (9-14) also split a pair of games Saturday against Rider in Lawrenceville, N.J. The Quakers routed the Broncs 12-2 after allowing a late-inning rally to lose the opener.
"I was really pleased that we took the second game of both doubleheaders after dropping the first," Penn coach Leslie King said. "It would be easy to be down or flat after losing that first game, and it shows a lot of character that they can come back in that second game and take it both days."
In yesterday's win, Brandi King added a double and a triple to go 3-for-3 with four RBIs and nine total bases in the second game.
"I'm just keeping myself relaxed and seeing the ball and competing every at-bat," she said. "So far it's showing results."
Junior Julia Cheney smacked an RBI double in the fourth to put Penn on the board before King's home run, and junior Stephanie Reichert hit a home run to lead off the fifth.
The big story, however, continues to be the Quakers' depleted pitching staff.
Already down to three pitchers after losing sophomore Michelle Rehm to injury last week when a line drive broke her hand, the Quakers were forced to travel with only two pitchers on Saturday when junior Olivia Mauro came down with the flu.
With games against Lafayette last Thursday and tomorrow against Lehigh, the Quakers are already starting to have a problem with pitchers wearing down.
"In less than a week, you're playing eight games with three pitchers," freshman pitcher Emily Denstedt said. "It gets tiring, and mentally you have to be tough."
Denstedt was forced to play in all four games over the weekend. She picked up both of Penn's wins in relief, but got the loss yesterday when Colgate scored all five of its runs in the first.
Mauro, coming off the illness which kept her out the previous day, came in and pitched six shutout innings while giving up only one hit, but the Quakers couldn't overcome the early deficit.
"I have no doubt that Emily Denstedt was tired" yesterday, coach King said. "They had to throw a lot of innings [Saturday] and then come back again today. It was a tough weekend for us."
Junior Lindsey Permar, the team's only other active pitcher, appeared in three out of four contests and took the loss against Rider.
Looking to help strengthen her staff, coach King is turning to junior infielder Casey Hare to provide a few innings down the road.
Hare "pitched a little bit her freshman year," King said. "Obviously, we've asked her to start throwing very, very late. We don't feel like she's quite ready yet, but she's going to be able to give us a few innings."
The Quakers' rotation will have to keep going strong, as Penn gets only one day to rest before facing Lehigh tomorrow in a doubleheader.
"Lehigh is a very good team," coach King said. "It's going to be a big challenge for us."
