LONGWOOD, FLA. – The University of Pennsylvania softball team (6-3) opened play at The Spring Games with a split, defeating Saint Louis (5-11) 8-0 (F/5) and falling 10-9 to Niagara (1-1) in the night cap. The 6-3 start for the Quakers is the best since 2008.
 
Quaker Notemeal

• Jennifer Brann (156) tallied six strikeouts in the win over Saint Louis and tied Mikenzie Voves for ninth on the all-time strikeout list. Next up is Vicki Moore (177) in eighth.
• With the win against the Billikens, Brann (16) has passed Lanie Moore for sole possession of eleventh on the all-time list. Next up is Mikenzie Voves (17) in tenth place.
• Brann recorded her fourth complete game of the year against Saint Louis. She needs just four more to eclipse last year's mark.
• Lucy Yang tallied five walks to reach 11 for the season in just nine games. Yang now leads the Ivy League in walks and remains on pace to shatter her third best single season walk mark in Quakers history. She also didn't reach this mark until March 20 last season.
• Yang's three walks against Saint Louis tied teammate Corrie Phillips for the most single-game walks in the Ivy League this season.
• Clare Sebastianelli tied a career-high in single game RBI with three in the win against Saint Louis.
• Emma Nedley tacked on three more RBI to reach 13 this season. That mark currently leads the Ivy League.

 
How It Happened
Picking up right where they left off against Lafayette, the Quakers bats were red hot all day. The Red and Blue notched 17 more runs and have risen their runs per game mark to 6.2. Almost everyone got involved in the hit parade in some capacity.

In the opener against Saint Louis, the Quakers struck early and often, scoring runs in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th innings to support another shutout start by Jennifer Brann. Clare Sebastianelli turned in one of the best games of her career and it began with a two-RBI single in the 1st. The balanced attack continued, with an RBI from Corrie Phillips, followed by more from Sebastianelli. Emma Nedley ended the game in the sixth inning with a two-run double to put it away.

The nightcap proved to be one of the more bizarre games in recent memory. What began with a close call at second base in the second inning led to four runs for Niagara. Quickly following that was a seven-run inning by the Quakers, and ultimately nine unanswered runs. However, the Purple Eagles mounted a comeback, scoring six unanswered runs to take the lead for good. The two teams combined for 19 runs, 20 hits and 31 players over the 2-and-a-half-hour game.
 
What's Next
The Quakers continue play at The Spring Games with a game against Detroit Mercy at 11:15 a.m. on Saturday, March 7. The Quakers have four more games in Florida remaining before returning home to open Ivy League play.