Difficult stretch a reality check for youthful Softball roster

Sometimes, all you need is a dazzling finale to forget the rest of the show.

Despite returning with a surprising 3-7 record, the Penn softball team left the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla., with a bang, turning the final game against Florida A&M; over to the young players for the win, 3-2.

Sophomore pitcher Tory Satagaj gave up only one earned run and freshman Jamie Boccanfuso ended a 2-2 tie with an RBI single to seal the victory - a much-needed win for the Quakers after a week of nail-biters.

Their overall record of 4-9 is a far cry from the success of last year's team at the tournament, where Penn emerged 10-4, providing a strong spark going into Ivy play.

Coach Leslie King is taking it all in stride.

"It was a bit of a reality check that we do have a very, very young team," King said. "We are nowhere near as experienced as we've been the last couple years. It's going to take a little bit more time for this group to learn how to play Division I softball."

After leaving for the Sunshine State last Friday and earning their inaugural farmers' tans during weekend practice, the Quakers fell on the opening Sunday to Bucknell and Eastern Kentucky, 4-3 and 10-2, respectively.

"[Eastern Kentucky] was really the only game that just got away from us," King said. "We weren't alert from the start. They bunted, they slapped, they took extra bases."

Junior outfielder Keiko Uraguchi lead the team offensively for the day, knocking in one run against Bucknell and notching two hits against Eastern Kentucky.

Penn rebounded Monday, however, for a sweep of Butler and Youngstown State. Against the Bulldogs, who split last year's series with the Quakers 1-1, the team rallied late in the seventh inning to score all three runs. Penn then scored all of its runs against Youngstown in the first inning, eventually holding the Penguins to three runs to hold on for the win.

Despite the return to .500 for the trip, the Quakers wouldn't see another win until their last day at the tournament, going on to lose games to Maine, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, Valparaiso, South Dakota and Buffalo.

Though King's pitching staff is deep - her rotation of four pitchers includes last year's rookie standout Jessie Lupardus, as well as two freshmen - she's still waiting for the game-time experience to sink in.

"A lot of the problem is that because we do have as many innings, we're having problems getting in game situations," King said. "It's just game-day pressure. You can't replicate that in practice."

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