PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania softball team opened Ivy League play on Saturday with a doubleheader in Penn Park against Columbia, falling in both games.
 
GAME 1: Columbia 11, Penn 8
On a windy day, the offense was firing for both teams in the opener Saturday, as both teams combined for 26 hits and six home runs.
 
The Quakers were the first to get on the board, crossing six across the plate in the bottom of the second inning to take a 6-0 advantage.
 
Laurel McKelvey, with two runners on, sent a high shot over the centerfield fence on the second pitch. She was followed a few batters later by Sarah Schneider who sent a liner over the left centerfield fence to bring around Julia Schneider. Dana Anderson wrapped up the scoring in the second with a double to score Emma Nedley.
 

2nd Inn| Penn 3, Columbia 0

Laurel McKelvey puts Penn on the board with the 3-run homer over center field! pic.twitter.com/o9Ie1PRFsI

— Penn Softball (@Penn_Softball) March 19, 2022

 
The Lions responded in the top of the third, crossing seven runs of their own to take over the advantage, 7-6. However, in the fourth, Julia Mortimer sent a double down the left field line to bring around Corrie Phillips to knot the game up at 7-7.
 
In the fifth, Columbia put itself ahead by two with another two-RBI homer over centerfield, but Schneider answered in the sixth inning with a solo bomb in left center to get the Quakers back within one, 9-8, headed to the final frame.
 

6th Inn| Penn 8, Columbia 9

Sarah Schneider with her 2nd homerun of the day! She brings Penn within one to start the second half of the 6th. pic.twitter.com/49dHn5Z26P

— Penn Softball (@Penn_Softball) March 19, 2022

 
Unfortunately, the Lions had other plans, scoring two more runs in the top of the seventh on a double down the left field line to spread the lead to 11-8 which held the rest of the way.
 
Julia Longo and Bella Fiorentino combined for 6 2/3 innings in the circle, each earning two strikeouts. Olivia Szewczyk wrapped up the final out in the seventh, seeing two batters.
 
GAME 2: Columbia 4, Penn 1
In a much different game, the second matchup saw more of a defensive side of each team, as the teams had 13 total hits.
 
The Lions kept the Quakers off the scoreboard through the first four innings, while they built a 3-0 advantage off a Penn fielding error, an RBI groundout, and a solo homer.
 
Penn showed some offensive life in the bottom of the fifth when McKelvey singled to shallow centerfield while Brianna Brown sprinted around the diamond to slide home for the 3-1 score.
 

5th Inn| Penn 1, Columbia 3

Brown hits a single and McKelvey scores off of it to put the Quakers on the board. pic.twitter.com/2prCz3Cpvo

— Penn Softball (@Penn_Softball) March 19, 2022

 
That was as close as the Quakers would get though, as Columbia hit a homer in the seventh to seal up the 4-1 decision.
 
Payton Bean tossed four innings for Penn, while Rachel Riley finished out the last three innings with one strikeout.

Up Next
The Quakers wrap up the three-game series against the Lions on Sunday back at Penn Park. First pitch is set for 12:30 p.m.