The softball team’s luck changed midway though a two-game series against Penn on Monday, allowing Yale’s hits to actually produce runs.

The Bulldogs (22-14, 1-3 Ivy) managed to beat the Quakers (13-19, 2-4) in a 14-2 landslide after losing to the Quakers in a 2-0 shutout earlier yesterday in Philadelphia. In the first game, both Penn and Yale had five hits, but the Quakers capitalized on the scoring opportunities more than the Elis did. In the second game, the Bulldogs had 12 hits to generate the offensive explosion, compared to the Quakers’ eight. Pitcher Ashley Linnenbank ’06 allowed seven of Penn’s hits, while pitcher Rebecca Wojciak ’09 allowed one.

In the first contest, an inability to rally consistently in the face of solid Penn defense kept the Bulldogs from scoring any runs. The fifth inning saw first baseman Megan Enyeart ’09 double to left center and Kate Meserve ’07 follow up with a two-out, left-field single, but Enyeart was thrown out at home plate before either could score.

Pitcher Peggy Hunt ’06 had a solid game, but her pitching was not enough to completely stop Penn. She pitched for six innings and gave up all five hits, had one earned run and struck out two.

But in the second game, the Eli pitchers had more than enough support. Outfielder Kyli Hanson ’09 said the team rekindled the spark it had found during its spring break training trip.

“We brought everything together, and it was completely contagious,” Hanson said. “It was what we had in Florida.”

Hanson attributed this change in part to two home runs by Katie Edwards ’09 in the second game. Her first came in the fifth inning with one out. The three-run homer eliminated the Quakers’ 2-1 lead and gave the Elis a 4-2 advantage. Edwards also had five RBIs in the second game, which really upped the team’s score.

Edwards said that while her home runs helped the team gain the lead, they did not change her outlook on the game much. Instead, she credited the team’s second victory to placing hits in the same innings.

“I was really excited that I hit them, but I don’t know if they really changed my mentality,” Edwards said. “We strung together our hits in the second game.”

Yale head coach Barbara Reinalda said the change in the second game happened when the team members found their power. She also said the team did not consider Sunday’s substantial losses to Princeton while playing on Monday.

“We forget about it,” Reinalda said. “There’s nothing you can do to change it. You can learn from it.”

Hanson also said she did not think of the loss against Princeton while playing Penn.

“A loss is a loss, no matter how many runs you lose by,” Hanson said. “We kept the mentality that our season wasn’t over yet.”

The Elis play next at CCSU on Wednesday. Team members said they are optimistic about the game.

“We just want to score eight runs and be done,” Hanson said.

Reinalda said the team will work on hitting before this game, as the team’s downfall in the first game yesterday was not coordinating hits to bring in runs. She said the team also needs to work on adjusting to different pitchers’ styles.

Edwards said that, all in all, yesterday was a successful outing for the team.

“I was really proud of us all,” she said. “Everyone played really well.”