BOCA RATON, Fla. – The University of Pennsylvania softball lead early in their fifth and final game at the Owl Classic on Sunday, but five late runs from Illinois State were too much for the Quakers to overcome in a 5-2 final.
FINAL: Illinois State 5, Penn 2
Penn starting pitcher worked her way into, then out of, early trouble, stranding two runners in the top of the first after conceding a one-out double and a two-out walk.
Sarah Schneider led off the bottom of the inning with a double, but was later caught trying to steal third. After Madison Bauerle singled, Sammy Fenton struck for her first home run as a Quaker, quickly putting Penn up 2-0.
Riley worked around a bunt single and a pair of errors in the second and third, stranding three runners across the two scoreless frames. In the top of the fourth, five Redbird hits and a walk led to four runs, flipping the game in Illinois State's favor.
Penn put two runners on in the fifth when Alyssa Pope and Brianna Brown reached on an error and an infield single, respectively, but the Quakers could not bring either home.
Illinois State added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, while the Quakers went down in order in both the sixth and seventh to end the game.
QUAKER NOTEMEAL
- Freshman Kelly Zybura allowed one run in 3.2 innings of relief, lowering her season ERA by nearly a full run.
- Fenton hit her first collegiate home run in the first inning on Sunday, brining Penn's season total to five.
UP NEXT
The Red and Blue will make the trip north to the Tampa Bay area for a pair of doubleheaders. On Tuesday, Penn will take on the University of South Florida in Tampa and on Wednesday are slated for a pair of neutral site games against Creighton University in Madiera Beach.
#FightOnPenn
