Softball's offense explodes to earn split

Penn softball kicked off Ivy League play with a split against Dartmouth. The Quakers dropped the first game, 8-7, but bounced back in the nightcap with an impressive 8-0 rout.

Dartmouth (8-11, 1-1 Ivy) dominated the first game from the outset. Second baseman Kirsten Costello drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on two groundouts before being knocked in on a double by Molly Khalil.

In the next inning, Costello drove in Kat Hicks who had led off with a double and Audrey Kolodziej scored on the next play after an errant throw by Penn catcher Alisha Prystowsky.

Third baseman Ashley Gleason added to the lead in the third inning off an RBI by Leigha Clarkson, causing Penn pitcher Tory Satagaj to be pulled after just 2.1 innings.

Penn (5-15-1, 1-1) finally responded in the bottom of the fifth. Kelsey Wolfe got the Quakers started with a single, Anna Puglisi moved her to second with another hit, and Keiko Uraguchi reached on a fielding error to load the bases. A catcher's interference call, a hit batter, singles by Jamie Boccanfuso and Taylor Tieman and a sacrifice fly by Wolfe led to a seven-run inning for Penn.

Dartmouth answered quickly with three more runs in the sixth and held on for the win.

The Quakers offense found its groove in the nightcap. Boccanfuso started the second with a single and scored on an error three plays later. Uraguchi knocked in two more later in the inning. In the fourth inning, the Quakers scored four more runs behind another run batted in by Uraguchi and a three-run homer by Prsytowsky.

Emily Denstedt pitched five scoreless innings and gave up just one hit and one walk while striking out two and picking up the win.

Yesterday's doubleheader against Harvard was postponed due to rain. It will be played today beginning at 1 p.m.

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