PHILADELPHIA – The 2019 season finally kicks off this weekend for the University of Pennsylvania softball team. The Quakers will spend spring break in Clearwater, Florida for the USF Spring Invitational where they will play ten games over the next seven days.

Previewing Penn
Penn returns 14 starters from last season, including eight of its top-10 hitters. The Quakers will be without Jurie Joyner who finished her career ranked inside the top-5 in most doubles, home runs, and RBI in program history.

Leading the Quaker bats, however, will be Sam Pederson, Jessica England, and Lucy Yang.

Pederson hit leadoff for the Red and Blue last season, finishing second on the team in hits (36). Her 14-game hitting streak was the second-longest in program history and her four triples led the Red and Blue.

England scored the most runs (28) and showed consistency at the plate, reaching base in a career-high, 19 straight games.  

Yang enters the season as the lineup's big-hitter. She hit five home runs as a freshman and her .455 slugging percentage ranked third on team. Yang was the second-most walked batter in the Ivy League during conference play in 2018.

In the circle, Jennifer Brann will lead the pitching staff. The junior threw four complete games last season and tallied 45 strikeouts with a 4.30 ERA. Sophomore Abigail Abramson will look to build on a strong freshman campaign that saw her set the pace with six wins in the circle.

The 12 returning starters will be joined by six newcomers this year as the Quakers look to make a run in the Ivy League.

Penn vs. Middle Tennessee – Friday, 10 a.m.
Series Information
All-time series: First Meeting
*The Quakers will begin their spring break trip against Middle Tennessee in what will be the first all-time meeting between the two programs. The Blue Raiders won the Conference USA championship last season, qualifying for the NCAA Regional.
Middle Tennessee will be well-seasoned in what will be Penn's first game of the year. The Blue Raiders are 7-9 to start their season and played No. 24 Mississippi State at the Bulldog Kickoff Classic.


Penn vs. Furman – Friday, 12:30 p.m.
Series Information
All-time series: First Meeting

*The Quakers will wrap-up their day one double-header against Furman in another first all-time meeting between two programs.
Like the Blue Raiders, the Paladins have already played double-digit games this season, but are just 2-9 with wins over Georgetown and Gardner-Webb.

Penn vs. Ball State – Saturday, 10 a.m.
Series Information
Records: Ball State leads, 1-0 | Last meeting: March 3, 2017 (Ball State, 11-1)
*Penn last played against Ball State two years ago at the USF Spring tournament. Leah Allen hit a lead-off home run in the first inning to put the Quakers up, 1-0, before the Cardinals racked off 11 straight runs.  

Ball State has started the season 11-5 after trips to the FGCU Kickoff Classic, the Madeira Beach Invitational, and Silicon Valley Classic. The Cardinals went 4-1 last weekend which included three straight wins against CSU Bakersfield, Utah State, and Montana.

Penn vs. Bethune Cookman – Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
Series Information
Records: Penn leads, 1-0 | Last meeting: March 12, 1999 (Penn, 6-4)
*Penn's game against Bethune-Cookman will be the first meeting between the two programs in 20 years. The Wildcats will be the second NCAA Regional team that the Quakers will play over the first two days in Florida.  

While Bethune-Cookman is 4-11 to begin its season, that record includes games against four teams that were ranked inside the top-20. Last week, the Wildcats defeated No. 17 Oregon, a 2018 Women's College World Series participant.