On a chilly day at Class of 1895 Field, Princeton's softball team warmed things up with their solid pitching and hitting.
Princeton swept inter-state rival Rutgers in a double-header yesterday afternoon, winning 1-0 and 9-1 in its first two home games of the season.
In the first game, Princeton (10-12) relied on the strong arm of senior pitcher Brie Galicinao. The Tigers scratched out a run in the bottom of the first thanks to a couple of errors by the Scarlet Knights.
Freshman center fielder Kristin Lueke opened the bottom of the first with a single into left field. She continued to move around the base paths as she stole second and reached third on a wild pitch. She then came home on a passed ball to score Princeton's only run of the day.
However, this was all that Galicinao would need as she kept Rutgers (3-13 overall, 2-0 Big East) off balance all day to pitch the complete game shutout. She improved her record to 4-6 on the year.
"Brie threw a great game today," said head coach Maureen Davies '77. "She didn't get the run support I would have liked, but she had a lot of spin on the ball and threw a great game."
Galicinao opened the day by striking out the side in the first inning and she never looked back. In the end, she struck out eight Scarlet Knights and allowed only four hits.
"I actually had some nervous energy in the first inning," said Galicinao. "But then we picked up that one run in the first, and the defense played well."
In the second game Princeton's offense came alive to compliment its strong pitching. The Tigers scored seven runs in the second inning off Rutgers pitcher Brielle Cosentino.
Freshman third baseman Becky Nemec reached on an error and then freshman Melissa Finely was hit by a pitch. With one out, junior second basemen Mackenzie Forsythe singled to center to load the bases.
Sophomore pitcher Wendy Bingham then doubled down the right field line scoring two runs. Forsythe then came home on a wild pitch. Galicinao then hit a stand-up triple to deep left-center field to plate two more runs. She would then be driven in by sophomore designated player Kristin Del Calvo.
Nemec would then close the scoring with an RBI single to center. The Tigers sent 12 hitters to the plate and end up scoring seven runs on six hits and two errors.
Bingham extended the solid pitching that Galicinao had begun in the first game. She struck out six in five innings of work. The lone run she allowed was on an RBI triple in the third inning.
She helped her cause by contributing at the plate as well. Bingham went 1-3 at the plate with 2 RBI and a run scored.
The only time the Scarlet Knights threatened was in the top of the second. Rutgers had runners on second and third with only one out. However, Bingham got a pop-up to second and a lineout to third to get out of the jam.
Senior shortstop Kim Veenstra ended the game in the bottom of the sixth inning with a walk off two-run homer that gave Princeton the eight-run margin of victory. It was Veenstra's first hit of the day.
With Del Calvo on first after drawing a walk, Veenstra smashed a Cosentino delivered over the left-center field wall as the entire team came to congratulate her as she crossed home plate. It was Del Calvo's second run of the game.
Princeton now begins its conference schedule with its first games away at Penn this Saturday. Princeton has only one thought on their minds, and that is and Ivy Title. Even though Princeton finished fourth in the conference last season, some view Princeton as the team to beat.
Princeton can take a great deal of confidence from this double-header. They're pitching was solid throughout both games, and they were able to make adjustments in their hitting in the second game that led to their offensive explosion.
"We had great pitching on the day," Davies said. "It is a great way to head into conference play."
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