Softball recovers from tough weekend with sweep of Rider

Heading into yesterday's doubleheader against Rider University, the softball team knew it was the underdog. Poor weather conditions had limited it to only seventeen games so far this season, while Rider, like most of Princeton's opponents, already had thirty games under its belt. The Tigers' confidence was in need of a boost, epecially after a disappointing weekend when they went 1-3 in their Ivy League opener against Harvard and Dartmouth.

Yesterday, however, Princeton got just what it needed.

The Tigers (10-9 overall, 1-3 Ivy League) shutout the Broncs, 6-0, in the first game yesterday afternoon and took the second game, 9-6.

"We had a really good day," head coach Maureen Davies '97 said. "We were disappointed with how we played this weekend and we were able to take care of some things that had hurt us against Harvard and Dartmouth and bring it all together against Rider."

Junior Brie Galicinao pitched the first game against the Broncos, registering 12 strikeouts and allowing only four hits.

Though the Tigers were slow to score, once they got the bats going, they never let up. Sophomore Anna Soper got it started with a single in the fourth innning. Rider committed three errors, helping Soper and senior catcher Devon Keefe to reach home as Princeton took a 2-0 lead.

Galicinao turned in an equally strong performance at the plate as she did at the mound, collecting three hits. Galicinao and junior shortstop Kim Veenstra each contributed RBI doubles in the seventh inning, allowing Princeton to extend its lead over Rider with four more runs.

Rider managed to lead 2-1 heading into the second inning of the second game. The lead, however, was short-lived, as Princeton pulled ahead with four more runs when senior outfielder Lori Volker and Keefe each recorded their first career home runs.

"Our batters were really solid in the second game," Davies said. "It was really exciting to see our seniors really come through at the plate."

The hitting spree continuted into the fifth inning when freshman infielder Kristen Del Calvo hit a grand slam, giving the Tigers a 9-3 lead.

Rider responded in the bottom of the sixth inning with five hits which brought home three runs and narrowed Princeton's lead to 9-6. Freshman pitcher Wendy Bingham and the Tiger defense held back the Broncos for one more inning before recording her first collegiate victory and Princeton's tenth win of the season.