Senior right fielder Leah Allen and the rest of Penn softball are antsy to get back on the field after a doubleheader was postponed due to weather.
Credit: Ananya Chandra , Ananya ChandraThe Quakers are anxiously awaiting the end of this storm to start their promising season around the diamond, although they may have to wait even longer.
Penn softball will host Rider on Saturday in a doubleheader, assuming weather permits the games to be played. The Quakers (4-6) were supposed to have their home opener this Wednesday against Lafayette, but that doubleheader was postponed because of inclement weather. The makeup date has not yet been announced.
While the weather has prevented Penn from playing or practicing this week, the team’s leader sees it as a source of extra fuel and excitement.
“I think we are all really anxious to play, and I think that will definitely help us going into the games having this time off and not playing today and potentially not playing Saturday,” star senior right fielder Leah Allen said.
“It’s hard at this time when we are not playing games as a team to stay focused, but I think as a whole we are really focused,” Allen explained.
The Quakers participated in a string of games down in Florida over Penn’s Spring Break, finishing with a record of 4-6. Penn enters the game against Rider (2-11) coming off a loss to Central Connecticut State last Thursday afternoon to close that Florida trip.
“We did a really good job (in Florida) of just getting singles and just relying on each other,” Allen added.
There are six freshmen joining Penn on the field this year.
“I know myself and the rest of the seniors have really been trying to tell the freshmen to play every game as hard as they can. I think they have already had a really big impact on and off the field,” Allen said.
Allen is coming off another dominant season in Ivy League softball, as a first-team All-Ivy selection with a league leading 41 RBI and five triples. She was also the only Quaker to start all 44 games last season.
“I just want to win this year. It’s my last year. I haven’t won an Ivy League Championship yet. The last time they won here at Penn was 2013. So, this is my last chance,” Allen said.
The Quakers begin Ivy League competition on March 31 against Harvard, but for now they're just hoping Mother Nature allows them to get back on the field for some preseason action.
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