With two outs in the fifth inning of the second game of its doubleheader against Saint Joseph's yesterday, the Penn softball team appeared poised to retire the high-powered Hawks offense in a quick three up, three down fashion. Down by two runs, the Quakers were still well within striking distance of pulling off a come-from-behind victory.
Instead, a single by Hawks' freshman infielder Monica Aguilar was followed by five consecutive hits that generated four runs for St. Joe's. Within a matter of minutes, the contest had become suddenly out of reach.
Yesterday, the Quakers were undone by a high-scoring inning in each game of their home-opening doubleheader, losing 4-1 and then 10-0 to St. Joe's.
"We are obviously disappointed," junior Keiko Uraguchi said. "We thought that the scores would be much closer."
The obvious disappointment was reflected in the coaching staff and players immediately following the second contest. Penn coach Leslie King was visibly frustrated and sulked in the dugout for several minutes after the final out. She declined to comment on the games.
The players held an impromptu meeting following the game in order to reflect on their sub-par performance.
Despite the unfavorable results, the day did not end without its bright spots - thanks to a couple of freshmen pitchers.
In the first game, Cailyn Hennessy allowed only two runs on six hits in her first four innings on the mound - but gave up another two runs in the fifth. Chelsea Ott gave up three runs on six hits in a four-inning start in the nightcap.
"The Quakers came out ready to play today," St. Joe's coach Terri Adams said. "Every time we play them they get better. This was a different team from what we saw three weeks ago, when we last played them," she said of the contest her team won, 9-1, against the Red and Blue Feb. 27.
The Hawks' strong batting and dominant pitching were ultimately too much for Penn.
St. Joe's (12-10) was lifted by a complete game from senior pitcher Dani Gonzalez in the first game and the combined efforts of pitchers Erin Gallagher and Lauren Pembleton - who allowed a total of three hits - in the second game.
The Hawks put up a team batting average of over .500 with runners in scoring position in the second game. They amassed a combined 25 hits against the Penn staff over the two games, while the Quakers could only eke out eight hits of their own on the day.
"We hit really well today, especially in the second game," Adams said. "It was a dogfight out there. Penn is no longer an easy opponent."
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