Princeton, N.J. – The University of Pennsylvania softball team dropped a pair of games to Princeton on Saturday afternoon in New Jersey. The Quakers fell in game one, 8-4 and in game two 5-1.

With the losses the Red and Blue are 7-14, 2-3 in the Ivy and 1-10 on the road.  

FINAL: Princeton 8, Penn 4
Penn jumped on the board first, as Brianna Brown led off the game with a walk and advanced to third when Delaney Smith doubled to left field. The very next at-bat, Dana Anderson flew out to right field, which brought home Brown for the first run of the game.

In the bottom of the first, the first two batters reached safely for the Tigers as they were both hit by pitches. A single up the middle tied the game and a sacrifice fly to center gave Princeton the 2-1 lead. The Tigers were able to extend the lead as a dropped fly ball in left allowed for an unearned run to cross the plate. At the end of the first, Princeton led 3-1.

Kelly Zybura took over for starting pitcher Payton Bean in the bottom of the second, after tossing one frame. The Tigers added another run after three straight singles, to push the lead to three runs.

The Quakers went down in order in the top of the third, as Cassidy Shaw struck out a pair.

In the bottom of the frame, a leadoff walk and a ground out put Grace Jackson at second with one out. Allie Goodwin doubled down the left field line, scoring Jackson. Sophia Marsalo then tripled to right center, scoring Goodwin. A single by Sonia Zhang drove in the third run of the inning, making the game 7-1.
Penn got back on the board in the top of the fifth as Smith sent one over the left center wall for the first of her career.

Princeton then retaliated with a run in the bottom of the sixth as Lauren Sablone tripled to right center and was driven in on a ground out to shortstop.

Trailing 8-2 entering the top of the seventh, Brown led the frame with a single to second base. Smith dropped in her third hit of the game and set a new career-high  with a single to center, as the Quakers had two on and no outs. Brown then advanced to third on a wild pitch, and the bases became loaded after Dana Anderson was hit by a pitch. With two outs, Julia Mortimer singled through the left side scoring two. Dani Freer struck out to end the game, as the Red and Blue fell short 8-4, despite the late-game comeback attempt.

FINAL: Princeton 5, Penn 1
Although Brown led off game two with a single, the Quakers ended the top half of the frame as Sammy Fenton popped into a double play.

In the bottom of the opening frame, Sablone singled to center but was eventually stranded at seconded. At the end of one the teams were tied 0-0.

In the bottom of the second, Chloe Lesko doubled to right center, but was stranded at third.

The Tigers scored first in the bottom of the second after Jackson doubled to left center and then advanced to third on a wild pitch, Goodwin then drove in Jackson with a single to the right side. Princeton threatened to score once again, as Caitlin Bish reached on a fielder's choice, but Goodwin was thrown out at the plate by Fenton who made the heads-up play from shortstop.

The next three frames were scoreless on both sides, as Princeton plated three runs in the bottom of the fifth to expand the lead. Sablone doubled and then scored on a passed ball. Goodwin then drove in two more wins with a double to left center, as the Tigers led 4-0.

Penn got on the board in the top of the sixth as the Quakers had two runners on with one out as Fenton and Dakota Farmer tallied back-to-back singles. Lesko produced the third straight single, as she drove one up the middle to load the bases. Mortimer then grounded out to third, collecting an RBI as Fenton scored.
Princeton got the run back in the bottom of the frame, as the Tigers led 5-1.

Megan Huang led off the top of the seventh with a single, stole second base and eventually landed at third after an errant throw by the catcher landed in center field. Smith struck out and Fenton then grounded out to end the day for the Quakers, with a final score of 5-1.

Quaker Notemeal

• Penn totaled seven hits and four RBIs in game one.
• Smith launched her first career homerun in the top of the fifth and set a new career-high with three hits in game one.
• Brown, Lesko, Mortimer and Huang all contributed with one hit in game one.
• Bean lasted one inning in game one picking up the loss, giving up two earned runs and one hit. In relief, Zybura tossed five innings, gave up nine hits, five runs and struck out a batter.
• In game two, the Red and Blue picked up seven hits and one RBI.
• Freshman, Lesko and Huang tailed two base-knocks apiece in game two, as Lesko grabbed the only extra-base hit.
• Brown, Fenton, and Farmer each added a hit game two.
• Rachel Riley was handed the loss in game two, as she went five innings, surrendered nine hits and five earned runs. In relief, Olivia Szewczyk went one inning and gave up one hit. 

Up Next
Penn will be back in action tomorrow afternoon with the series finale against Princeton. First pitch is slotted for 12:30 p.m. in New Jersey.