NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The University of Pennsylvania softball team battled in both ends of a doubleheader at Yale on Saturday but ultimately came up short. Penn rallied in the sixth inning of game one for three runs but Yale held on for the 7-3 victory.
Sarah Schneider's solo shot in the fourth inning of game two was the only scoring through four and a half innings before the Bulldogs added a single run in the fifth and sixth innings to take a 2-1 victory for the doubleheader sweep.
Payton Bean took a no-hitter into the bottom of the fourth inning of the second game before she allowed a two-out base hit through the left side to end her bid for a no-hitter.
Danica Larwill had a career day at the plate as she collected her first multi-hit game of her career going 2-for-4 in the opening game with a run scored and was 1-for-2 in game two giving her three hits in a single day, also a first in her two-year collegiate career. She also flashed the leather at second making a nice diving catch in game one for the second out of a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth.
FINAL: Yale 7, Penn 3
The Quakers looked to be in good shape to take an early lead in the top of the first putting runners on second and third with one out but back-to-back groundouts ended the threat and kept the game scoreless.
Yale struck first capitalizing on a two-out bases loaded opportunity with an RBI base hit through the left side for the 1-0 lead.
Kelly Zybura regrouped and got the strikeout swinging to end the first inning and strand the bases loaded.
The next five half innings featured great pitching from both sides as just a Yale hit, a Penn walk, and a pair of runners reaching on errors by each team were the only base runners through the middle of the fourth.
Brianna Brown reached on a fielding error in the top of the third and stole second for her 14th stolen base of the season. She is now a perfect 14-for-14 in 2023.
Yale broke through in the bottom of the fourth for six runs on six hits and one Penn error all with two outs to take a 7-0 lead through four innings. Zybura was lifted following a two-RBI triple to center and an RBI base hit to right put the home team up 4-0.
Rachel Riley entered in relief and allowed back-to-back home runs, a two-run shot and a solo shot both to straight away center field giving Yale a 7-0 lead. After a base hit and a stolen base, Zybura got the tenth Yale batter of the inning out on a grounder to third to end the fourth inning.
After the fourth inning, Zybura shut down the Yale lineup retiring the final six Bulldogs.
Zybura's shutdown pitching allowed the Quakers offense to inch their way back into the game as they put up three runs in the top of the sixth.
Danica Larwill led off the sixth inning with a bunt single and made her way to third on back-to-back ground outs. Penn put together its own two-out rally as
Sammy Fenton walked putting runners on the corners.
Dana Anderson sent an RBI base hit through the left side of the infield to score Larwill and put the Quakers on the board.
After a lengthy at-bat,
Delaney Smith ripped a two-RBI base hit to left center that scored Fenton and pinch runner
Blake Landow cutting the Yale lead to four runs.
Zybura got some defensive help from Larwill in the bottom of the sixth as she pitched a 1-2-3 inning.
FINAL: Yale 2, Penn 1
Just as they did in game one, the Quakers threatened in the top of the first with runners on first and second with two outs but a line out to short ended the threat.
Brown got her second hit of the day with a one out base hit to left in the third inning. After Brown was called out for leaving the first base early, Larwill gave the Quakers another base runner as she was hit by a pitch, but a ground out to third ended the top of the third.
Sarah Schneider opened the top of the fourth inning with a solo shot to straight away center to give Penn a 1-0 lead.
Yale opened the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back base hits to left putting runners on first and second. With a 1-0 count to the third batter of the inning,
Bella Fiorentino took over in the circle for Bean and got a fielder's choice as she got the lead runner out at third. Yale sent a pinch hitter to the plate who immediately sent an RBI double to the right field wall to score the runner at second and tie the game at 1-1.
While the Quakers were retired in order in the sixth and seventh innings, Yale pushed across the eventual winning run on a two-out RBI base hit up the middle.
QUAKER NOTEMEAL
- Just as she did against Princeton, Payton Bean took a no-hitter into the fourth inning. Despite picking up her sixth loss of the season, Bean dropped her season ERA to 4.43. In game two, she allowed one run on three hits while striking out two and walking none in four innings of work.
- Brianna Brown has now reached base safely in 12 of her last 13 games.
- Brown extended her successful stolen base streak to a perfect 14-for-14 with a stolen base in the third inning of game one. 14 stolen bases in a single season now puts her in a tie with Leah Allen (2014) and Kelly Reese (1991) for the fifth most in a single season in program history. With 23 career stolen bases, Brown is now tied with teammate Sarah Schneider for 10th most in program history. The duo is chasing Elysse Gorney's 24 career stolen bases (2011-14).
- Sarah Schneider continues to climb the home run leader board as she belted her 17th career homer and moves into sole possession of seventh most in program history. Schneider is now chasing Brooks Coloma (2010-13) and Alisha Prystowsky (2008-11) who both totaled 18 in their respective careers.
UP NEXT
The Red and Blue will close out the series at Yale on Easter Sunday with a 12:30 p.m. first pitch in New Haven.
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