Despite entering this season as defending Ivy League champion, the softball team faced a cloudy future. Coming into its first game, Princeton was once again on the short list of favorites to take home the Ivy League crown, but the team was young and unproven after the graduation of Brie Galicinao '02 and Kim Veenstra '02.
Yet, from this fog of uncertainty, a championship-caliber team slowly formed. Early on, the young Tigers struggled, limping to a 3-9 record. But as March became April, the Tigers began to gel. By the time the Ivy League season arrived, the team was firing on all cylinders.
Now, nearing the finish line, Princeton (18-14-1 overall, 8-1 Ivy League) sits atop the standings, fully in command of the league race. With a second straight crown in sight, the 'Prince' pauses to hand out unofficial awards to those players who have so ably stepped into critical roles this season.
Speedy Gonzalez Award
Fittingly, sophomore second base Kristin Lueke leads off our list of award winners, just as she does the Tigers' lineup. Not only is she fast, but she sounds like Speedy, too. Her rapid and energetic chatter helps fill the leadership void created by the dearth of upperclassmen.
One of three players to start every game, Lueke has combined blazing speed with an arsenal of drag bunts and slap hits to record a .335 on-base percentage, third best on the team. Once she reaches base, she continues to terrorize opponents, leading the Tigers with six steals.
Workhorse Award
Freshman pitcher Erin Snyder runs away with this award, just as she's running away with the league strikeout title. The rookie hurler has pitched an incredible 118.1 innings, more than half of Princeton's total.
She has provided plenty of quality to go along with the quantity. En route to nine wins, she has held opposing batters to a miniscule .189 batting average, striking out 149 of them. Although she eventually lost, her 14 scoreless innings against Columbia constituted the top individual feat of the season.
Rock of Gibraltar Award
Two Tigers deserve this award for anchoring the Princeton defense — sophomore Ty Ries and freshman Amanda Erickson. This rock-solid duo, who split duties at catcher and third base, have combined to make just two errors in 291 chances and have allowed just five passed balls.
Heading into the season, the "hot corner" was one of the Tigers' biggest question marks, after the loss of sophomore Becky Nemec to injury. Ries and Erickson have filled in more than admirably. Their stats are especially impressive considering their positions are the two toughest on the field.
Charlie Hustle Award
This award is given to diminutive freshman Sarah Murphy for her effort, not because of any gambling problems. When the speedy sub isn't pinch running, she is consistently the first Tiger to jump from the bench and chase foul balls into the construction site behind Class of 1895 Field.
Unstoppable Force Award
Unstoppable is the only way to describe sophomore pitcher/outfielder Melissa Finley's performance at the plate this year. After being named second-team All-Ivy last season, Finley has taken her game to a new level this spring.
Twice named Ivy League Player of the Week, she leads Princeton in nine offensive categories. Take a look at her triple crown category numbers: .415 batting average, eight home runs and 24 runs batted in.
Additionally, Finley has chipped in from the mound. After struggling early in the season, she has won her last six decisions. The combination of prodigious hitting and dominant pitching makes her Princeton's best all-around player — if not the Ivy League's.
Bonus Category: Instant Classic
The early April doubleheader against Fairfield featured two walk-off wins for the home-standing Tigers, but the pneumonia-inducing weather eliminated this day from contention. Another nominee was last weekend's 23-inning twin bill at Columbia. But despite Snyder's gutsy pitching, the Tigers suffered a heartbreaking loss in the first game.
The winner: the Ivy League season opening doubleheader at Penn. Led by Finley, Snyder and Lueke, Princeton swept the Quakers with a pair of clutch one-run wins, setting the tone for the Ivy season.
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