Houston, Texas – The University of Pennsylvania softball team fell twice to Houston Christian on Tuesday evening, dropping to 2-8 on the season. The Quakers surrendered an early lead in game one, slipping 11-7, and fell in game two 8-3.

The Red and Blue were up 7-1in the third inning of game one, and then did not score throughout the remainder of the game. In game two, Penn fell early 3-0, got within one run in the third, but the Huskies scored five combined runs in the fifth and sixth innings.

FINAL: Houston Christian 11, Penn 7
Brianna Brown led off the game with a walk, stole second and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Delaney Smith then lined out to left field, bringing in Brown via a sacrifice fly, as the Quakers led 1-0. In the bottom half of the frame, Houston Christian had runners on the corners and were able to tie the game with a sacrifice fly to centerfield.

Penn answered with a run of their own in the top of the second, as the first two batters reached safely on errors by the Huskies, and then were put into scoring position on a double steal. Megan Huang walked to load the bases, and then Brown drew a walk with the bases loaded to collect an RBI, and give the edge back to the Quakers, 2-1, forcing an early pitching change. Smith then doubled down the left field line, bringing in Huang and Chloe Lesko. Katie Reagan followed up with a single and brought in Brown for the fourth run of the inning.

In the third inning, led off with a single, which was followed up by a Sammy Fenton single, and a Lesko walk. Jade Montgomery then walked with the bases loaded, making the score 6-1. Huang, singled through the left side, scoring Fenton, as the top of the frame ended with Penn leading 7-1. In the bottom of the third, starter Payton Bean gave up a solo home run, which then began a six hit, eight run inning, as the Huskies now led 9-7.

Houston Christian then added a run in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out double followed by a throwing error, allowing a run to score. In the sixth, the Huskies finished off the scoring by adding another insurance run.

The game concluded, 11-7, as the Quakers went down in order in the top of the seventh.
 
FINAL: Houston Christian 8, Penn 3
In game two, Houston Christian added three runs in the bottom of the first. Penn then cut the lead to just one run, when Huang doubled to left center, who began the inning getting hit by a pitch and then stole second. Brown then followed up with a single to shortstop and then stole second. Smith then walked, Reagan reached on a fielder's choice and Huang tried to score but was thrown out at the plate. Eventually, Brown crossed the plate on a passed ball, as the Quakers trailed 3-2.

The scoring was halted until the bottom of the fifth, when the Huskies had the first two batters reach safely. Then a single loaded the bases, and a fielder's choice and an error brought in two runs, making the game 5-2.

In the top of the sixth, Fenton led with a single, and Penn garnered the bases loaded, and Blake Landow went home on a passed ball, cutting the lead to just two. The Huskies then utilized a pitching change to shut down the potential threat in the inning.

Houston Christian wrapped up the scoring in the bottom of the sixth, on four hits and three runs, as the final score resulted in a 8-3 loss for the Quakers.

Quaker Notemeal

• Brown and Fenton combined for four of Penn's seven runs scored in game one.
• In game one, Fenton went 3-4 with two runs scored.
• Smith grabbed three of the Quakers' seven RBIs in game one.
• Six different Quakers combined for the teams' eight hits in game one.
• Bean went 2.1 innings, giving up five hits, six runs and four earned runs as the starter in game one.
• Kelly Zybura was handed the loss, and went 3.2 innings, surrendered eight hits five runs and just one earned run.
• In game two, Landow, Brown and Hartley were the only members of the Red and Blue to score.
• Brown and Fenton had four out of Penn's five hits in game two.
• Huang was the lone Quaker to grab an RBI in game two.

Up Next
A quick turnaround for Penn, as the Quakers will take on Prairie View A&M tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. ET, in Prairie View Texas, to conclude their trip to the Lone Star State.