The day seemed eerily familiar for the Penn softball squad. After winning its first two games of a four-game home stand Saturday against Princeton - by scores of 2-0 and 5-1, respectively - the streaky Quakers suffered a four-run loss in a lackluster performance in yesterday's first game against the Tigers.
But when it looked like the team's inconsistent nature would once again prevail in the nightcap, the Quakers refused to go down easily.
After being shutdown for most of the day by Princeton pitcher Michelle Tolfa and finding themselves down 6-3 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, the Penn bats finally came alive. An explosive seven-run inning provided the Quakers with a four-run cushion which they never relinquished.
Penn's come-from-behind victory in its final game Sunday capped a critical weekend heading into the final week of regular-season play. The Quakers entered as underdogs, but they took three out of four games against rival Princeton, both games Saturday as well as a 10-8 win in yesterday's nightcap. Penn lost 9-5 in game one yesterday.
"Our goal was to show Princeton something that they would not expect." said freshman pitcher Chelsea Ott, who earned the victory in yesterday's nightcap. "We came out and played all-around good softball and proved that our record is no indicator of where we stand as a team."
In game one, starting pitcher Jess Lupardus, who has a 1.69 earned run average, proved why she is the team's toughest threat on the mound, shutting out the Tigers and allowing only four hits in a complete-game effort.
"Our pitching was on point this weekend," coach Leslie King said. "Jess came through for us in the first game, and we were able to get some runs on the board which really helped."
The Quakers (12-21-1, 7-9 Ivy) followed up their strong defensive showing in the opening game Saturday with an equally impressive offensive showing in the second game, breaking a 1-1 stalemate with an explosive fifth inning. Sophomore Kelsey Wolfe capped off the inning with a two-run home run, her first of the season.
"It was a total team effort," Ott said.
Despite superior performances Saturday, the Quakers started slowly yesterday. In the fifth inning of game one, Penn made two critical fielding errors, allowing the Tigers (14-18, 8-8) to put five unearned runs on the board and take a lead that they would hold for the rest of the game.
The Quakers once again found themselves down in the nightcap, but came back with a seven-run sixth inning to make the score 10-6.
"Our come-from-behind victory . definitely showed our team's character and tenacity," said freshman Sarah Patrick, who drove in two runs in the sixth. "This win will give us the confidence that we need heading into the last week of the season."
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