PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania softball team closed out its Ivy League opening series with the Harvard Crimson on Sunday at Penn Park. The Quakers rallied for five runs across the fifth and sixth innings but ultimately fell, 12-6.

Madison Bauerle recorded another big game for the Quakers as she went 2-for-4 with a game leading three RBI.  

FINAL: Harvard 6, Penn 0
Payton Bean made her first start of the season and limited the Crimson to just a single hit in the first two innings.

Harvard stuck first with three runs in the top of the third inning to take a 3-0 lead. A defensive error allowed two runs to score to open the scoring. Four batters later, after a Penn pitching change, Harvard had a productive out as the third run came in to score on a ground out to short.

Penn responded with a run in the bottom of the third inning as Dani Freer scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to two runs.

The Crimson responded with a six run fourth inning to take a 9-1 lead. Eight straight batters reached on four singles, a walk, a double, a ground out, and a hit by pitch. A sac fly in the top of the fifth gave the visitors a 10-1 lead.

Looking to end the game in the fifth inning, the Crimson allowed three Penn runs to score. The Quakers scored three straight runs as Freer hit an RBI double to center, Bauerle grounded out and Katie Reagan scored and then the third run scored as Brianna Brown reached on an error as Freer scored.

Harvard once again responded with two more runs in the top of the sixth inning on a ground out and a fielder's choice to take a 12-4 lead.

With two on and two out, Bauerle hit a two RBI base hit to right center that score Alyssa Pope and Julia Mortimer to cut the Harvard lead in half, 12-6.

Rachel Riley worked around a one out hit by pitch to put a much needed zero on the board.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Quakers attempted a rally as back-to-back singles put runners on first and second with two outs. The game ended with a strikeout swinging.
 
QUAKER NOTEMEAL

• Madison Bauerle lead the Quakers with two hits and three RBI.
• Nine Quakers combined for 10 hits. This marked the fifth time this season Penn recorded 10 or more hits as a team.
• Penn scored six runs for the third time this season, six runs is tied for the second most in 2023.  

UP NEXT
The Red and Blue hit the road this week for a doubleheader at the University of Maryland Eastern Shores, first pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Penn returns to Ivy League play next weekend as it makes the trip to Dartmouth.