CLEARWATER, Fla. - Sophomore Jennifer Brann threw 10 strikeouts, but the University of Pennsylvania softball team (0-5) went 3-13 with runners on base and left five stranded as it fell to Western Michigan 4-3 in nine innings on Sunday afternoon. Penn will get the day off on Monday before getting back in action on Tuesday for two games against Niagara and South Dakota State. 

Inside the Numbers
* Sophomore pitcher Jennifer Brann had a career-high 10 strikeouts. Brann had 16 strikeouts all of last season; in just two games, she has 13 so far this year. The ten strikeouts by the Penn sophomore are the most by a Quaker pitcher since last season when Alexis Sargent had 10 against Rider on March 26.

* Through two games, Brann has a 2.33 era which leads all Penn pitchers.

* With runners on base, the Quakers went 3-13 and left five runners stranded.

* The loss in nine innings to Western Michigan is the second loss for the Quakers in extra innings. The team fell to Wright State in eight innings on Friday. 

* In her lone at-bat, pinch hitting for Hannah Gibbons, Raven Houck got on base and scored on a fly ball to left field. 

* Through five games, Sam Pederson has a hit in four of them. Pederson is the team's leading hitter as she has a .333 hitting percentage. 

How it Happened
Getting her second start in the circle on Sunday against Western Michigan, sophomore Jennifer Brann had pitched against Wright State and allowed just two runs in what ended up being a 14-2 loss in extra innings. Going winless on the first two days of the USF Under Armour Invitational, the Quakers looked to get a win against Western Michigan which had also gone 0-4 during the weekend. 

From the beginning, it was obvious that Brann was feeling it. The sophomore struck out four of the first five batters that entered the box. However, in the top of the second with two outs, the Broncos hit a home run to right field as Penn fell behind 1-0.

In the bottom of the third, the bats finally starting working for the Red and Blue. Kayla Ketring singled, stole second, and came home when Jessica England tripled on a full count. The Quakers then took their first lead since the Wright State game when a Lucy Yang singled allowed England to score. Yang, however, was caught trying to take second to end the inning. 

Like against Wright State, Penn took a 2-1 lead headed into the sixth inning. However, with two outs, Brann allowed three straight doubles which brought in two runs, and just like that the Quakers found themselves down 3-2. With the bases loaded in the seventh, the sophomore pitcher earned her tenth strikeout of the day on a 2-2 count, then forced a popout to escape the frame.

Looking to rally and stay alive, Raven Houck pinch-hit for Hannah Gibbons and singled to center field. She then advanced to third on a walk by Molly Oretsky and a sacrifice bunt by Brann. The sophomore was brought home by Kayla Ketring's sacrifice fly to left field, which allowed her to tag up and beat the throw home to tie the score at 3-3. 

Unable to bring Oretsky home, the Quakers once again headed to extra innings and played an International tiebreaker which puts a runner on second base to start each inning. In the ninth, the Western Michigan runner was brought home by a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly putting Penn down 4-3. Pinch running for Jurie Joyner, Clare Sebastianelli advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Corey Burrough, but was tagged out as she tried to advance home. Hannah Gibbons flied out to left field to the end the game as Penn fell to 0-5 on the season.

What's Next 
The Quakers will have Monday off after playing five games in three days. Penn will be back in action on Tuesday to play South Dakota State and Niagara on Tuesday.