Despite strong offensive showing, softball drops 2 of 3 to Columbia

At home last weekend, softball (6–15 overall, 3–3 Ivy League) faced off against its Ivy League co-leader Columbia (12–12, 5–1) in a three-game series. The Tigers took the first of the weekend’s games but dropped the next two by just one run.

Friday’s 11–5 victory saw a slew of multi-hit performances for the Tigers. Sophomore outfielder Mackenzie Meyer and junior outfielder Megan Donahey both recorded three hits; senior outfielder Kaitlyn Waslawski added another two.

Meyer led the team last season with seven home runs, and logged her first of the year on Friday, with a two-out solo homer in the second inning; she finished the game with three runs scored and three RBI. Waslawski also recorded her first home run of the season with a three run shot in the fifth, and sophomore pitcher Allie Reynolds picked up her fourth win of the season.

The Tigers’ offense slowed considerably on Saturday, when Princeton lost the first game of the day 2–1 despite first-year pitcher Ali Blanchard’s effort. Blanchard struck out six and allowed only two hits and five walks. She is currently second in the Ivy League in total strikeouts this season with 50, and her .220 opposing batting average is the second lowest in the conference. Her strong performance bodes well for the rest of the season, and she will likely play a significant role in the team moving forward.

Despite a strong offensive showing, Princeton dropped the second game of the day 5–4. After going down 5–1 in the fourth, the Tigers stormed back, scoring one in the fifth and two in the sixth. Ultimately, though, their comeback fell short.

Three Tigers had multi-hit performances in the game, and the team had 12 hits in total. Junior infielder Allison Harvey led the charge with three hits and two RBI. Donahey continued her strong hitting with three hits and two runs scored. Donahey is batting .362 this year with a .441 OBP, an improvement on her already impressive 2018 campaign, which saw her bat .328 and earn All-Ivy League Honors. Despite their offensive performance, however, the Tigers struggled to drive in runs, stranding 11 runners on base.

The loss on Saturday gave Princeton a 3–3 conference record; the Tigers fell from first to fifth in the Ivy League standings. But the team will look to rebound on Wednesday when they face Rider (3–23 overall, 1–3 conference) for a doubleheader at Class of 1895 Field. The Broncs are coming off a three-game losing streak, and have posted a meager 2–12 away record this season.