The 2008 Penn softball team might be enjoying the best start in program history, but the real test of greatness is yet to come.
Two losses and expectations of a tight Ivy League season will follow the Quakers to Bethlehem, Pa. for their scheduled doubleheader against Lehigh this afternoon. The Mountain Hawks, who boast a 17-4 record and strong pitching staff, will challenge the Quakers' durability and optimism regarding their conference schedule.
"We're using our games tomorrow as a final tune up for Ivy play [starting] on Saturday," head coach Leslie King said. "We want to try a couple of things and answer a few more questions."
Reliable upperclassmen play and bursts of excellence from the freshmen - six of whom routinely start games - have keyed the Quakers' formidable 11-5 start.
Freshman pitcher Jessie Lupardus has quickly gained notoriety for her blowout performances, adding a second Ivy League Pitcher of the Week to her resume last Wednesday. Lupardus will bring her 9-1 record and 0.36 earned run average to the circle against Lehigh.
The Mountain Hawks won't be without their own powerhouses. Junior Lisa Sweeney, both a hitting and pitching threat, recorded her 500th career strikeout in their home opener last Saturday. Though she also hit 3-for-7 on the day, Lehigh dropped both games to Fairfield.
"It's going to be one of the strongest teams we'll face," King said of the Mountain Hawks, who split last season's four-game series with Penn. "[Sweeney] is one of the best pitchers in the region. They'll also be hitting very well."
Second baseman Annie Kinsey's .400 batting average, along with Christina Khosravi and Taylor Tieman's two home runs apiece, should keep Sweeney's hands full.
As for the upcoming Ivy league schedule - Penn faces its first league opponent in Yale at home this Saturday - King wants her freshmen to gauge their relative success against Lehigh in preparation.
"My returners understand the difficulty of the Ivy schedule," she said. "The talent is there, they're all capable, but now there's no rest until the end of May."
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