PHILADELPHIA—The University of Pennsylvania softball team faced a tough day at the Purple Classic held at Grand Canyon University. They lost both games, starting with a 4-1 defeat to the University of New Mexico, dropping their season record to 1-6.
In their first game against New Mexico, the Quakers began strong. They executed some clever plays to get runners on base early. Jade Montgomery helped get the scoring started, driving in Megan Huang to make it 1-0 after the first inning.
However, pitcher Kelly Zybura faced challenges in the fourth inning when New Mexico’s Jessica Deleon hit a solo homerun, tying the game. The Lobos struck again in the sixth, taking a 3-1 lead after another homerun. In the seventh, they added one more run with an RBI single from Ashley Archuleta. Despite a late-game push from the Quakers, they couldn’t score again.
Final Score: New Mexico 4, Penn 1
In their second game, Penn played Grand Canyon University and suffered another defeat, this time 9-1. Once again, they got off to a decent start, with Rachel Riley hitting a single to bring in Montgomery after a fielding error, giving them a 1-0 lead.
However, GCU responded quickly in their half of the first inning. Emily Gonzalez hit an RBI single to score Savannah Kirk, followed by Jada Cooper, who hit a three-run homer. By the end of the first inning, GCU led 3-1.
Throughout the game, Gonzalez stayed hot at the plate, contributing with a fielding error and another two-run homer in the fourth inning. GCU built their lead to 9-1, making it very challenging for Penn to recover.
Final Score: Grand Canyon 9, Penn 1
Looking ahead, the Quakers will take on the University of Nevada – Las Vegas and Utah State tomorrow at 4:30 PM EST and 7 PM EST, respectively. Fans can keep up with the team on social media at @Penn_Softball and check out updates on PennAthletics.com.
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