The Daily Pennsylvanian is a student-run nonprofit.

Please support us by disabling your ad blocker on our site.

0319sports

Photo slideshow of this weekend's sports highlights.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Jake Owen’s “Eight Second Ride” blared over the loudspeaker, signaling Justine Payne’s turn in the order.

As she stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and no outs, down 5-0, the Penn co-captain had a chance to turn the game around.

On the first pitch Payne saw, she took a big hack but popped out to second. By the end of the inning, only one Penn player had crossed the plate.

Ultimately, the Quakers couldn’t connect and Syracuse cruised to a 6-1 victory in game one of the doubleheader, and 8-1 in second at Warren Field.

Through three innings in the opener, Syracuse (21-5) pitcher Jenna Caira was almost unhittable, allowing just three baserunners. But up 4-0 in the fourth, she allowed a leadoff single, walked the next batter on four pitches and hit the third batter with a pitch, loading the bases.

“I wish I had been more patient,” Payne said after the out.

Penn coach Leslie King said that she usually doesn’t put the take sign on in that situation.

“When you’ve got a walk and a hit by pitch, I’m confident that our hitters have that understanding that they’ve got to stand in there and make the pitcher work,” King said. “But sometimes kids see it, and they think it’s going to be the best pitch they’re going to see.”

Taylor Tieman took the loss for Penn, but she pitched well against a Syracuse team that was ranked No. 25 earlier this year. She threw a complete game, allowing 10 hits, five earned runs and striking out three, but it was not enough to match Caira, who pitches for the Canadian national team in the summer.

In game two, Penn faced yet another dominant hurler, Stacy Kuwik.

Kuwik struck out six consecutive Quakers in the third and fourth innings, and took a no-hitter into the sixth. Elysse Gorney managed a hit — a swinging-bunt single down the third-base line.

“We’re trying to keep it in perspective that we’re playing tough opposition to help us prepare for the Ivy League,” she said. “They’re the best team we’ve faced this year — maybe the best team we’ll see all year.”

One question remains — where has the Quakers’ offense gone? After scoring 49 runs through six games, they have only scored 13 in their last six.

Payne pointed out that they have run into good pitching, but her team has proven that should not matter. Penn scored seven runs off Sacred Heart’s Jen Russell, a dominant pitcher with a 2.57 earned run average.

“I’m not as concerned about the offense — I know it’s going to come together,” Payne said.

The Quakers would like to see that happen on Wednesday, when they take on Lehigh at Warren.

“Softball is a game of failure — you fail two out of three times and you’re still really good,” Payne said. “I’m more than confident that we’re going to bounce back.”

Comments powered by Disqus

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.