ITHACA, N.Y. –Cornell softball (15-15, 6-9 IVY) celebrated its senior class before a double header against Penn (3-32-1, 1-17 IVY) that resulted in a split with Cornell taking the first game 13-5 in five innings and Penn rallying back for a 5-2 victory in the final game of the series.
Game One Cornell 13, Penn 5
Penn started the first game with a 1-0 edge over the Big Red with an opening walk followed up by a triple to score the runner.
Cornell did not let that lead last long with a single from Emma Harshberger to score Ella Harrod who was on third after and hit and trouble behind the plate.
With the game still at 1-1, the Big Red started a early rally scoring five runs in the bottom of the second. Senior Emma Antich started off with a ground rule double to put her and walked Maddie Ullensvang on second and third. Sydney Stapf then ripped a single down the left field line to score both runners. Harrod came back up to the plate with Stapf now on third after a stolen base to hit her in with a RBI single. Harshberger adds yet another hit followed by a walk from Lauren Holt to load up the bases. The inning ended with an infield single from Charlize Cai that scored two to extend the lead to 6-1 in favor of the Big Red before Holt got caught between second and third in a pickle for the final out of the inning.
Cornell added three more in the third inning with hits from Hailey Pirkey, Addison Pressley and Harrod.
Penn tried to come back in at the top of the fourth, putting two more runs on the board to cut the deficit to 9-3.
The bottom of the fourth was another big inning for Cornell starting with a double from Cai and RBI single for Pirkey. Samantha Albert also grabbed a single to set Antich up for a three-run home run over the left field fence for the senior on senior day.
The Quakers would add two more in runs in the top of the fifth but it would not be enough to extend the game as the Big Red took the 13-5 win in five.
Game Two Cornell 2, Penn 5
The second and final game of the series started very similar to the first with a runner on followed by Montgomery triple. With another hit, the Quakers started the second game with a 2-0 lead.
In the top of the second inning Harrod recorded her 100th career hit with a single on the left side of the field.
Penn extended their lead in the third inning to 4-0 on four hits before Cornell could add their first run of the game in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single from Pressley to bring the score to 4-1 going into the fourth.
The Quakers scored one more time in the fourth to earn their fifth run.
Cornell got two runners on in the bottom of the fifth as Antich got hit by a pitch and Stapf watched four balls for a walk. Pressley added another RBI single up the middle.
Penn walked away with a 5-2 victory after the seven innings were done.
GAME NOTES
- Ella Harrod recorded her 100th career hit and lead her team in batting average (.750) through the weekend.
- Ella Harrod is starting up a hitting streak, after recording a hit in each game this weekend she has six consecutive games with a hit.
- Over eight innings, Mila Fiordalisi recorded a 1.75 ERA on the weekend.
- Emma Harshberger continues to produce at the plate going 5-for-10 over the weekend with zero strikeouts.
- Cornell stole three bases in Game 3, second highest of the season.
- Cornell celebrated Emma Antich, Maxine McCraw and Reagen London in their last games on Niemand-Robison Softball Field.
- After Saturday's games, Cornell's all-time record against Penn moved to 49-39.
UP NEXT
Cornell starts their eight-game road trip this week with a double header against Binghamton on Wednesday night with first pitch at 4:30 p.m.
