Softball looks for three-peat

Only one result will be acceptable for women's softball this season: a third straight Ivy League title. With nearly everyone returning from a squad that was clearly the cream of the crop a year ago, the Tigers appear to be on the brink of a dynasty.

The battery

The Tigers are well stocked both on the mound and behind the plate. Sophomore Erin Snyder, last year's Ivy League Rookie of the Year, returns as the ace and workhorse of the staff. Snyder went 13-10 with a 2.69 ERA and led the league with 199 strikeouts in 170 innings.

Joining her in the rotation are junior Melissa Finley and senior co-captain Wendy Bingham. If either of them falter, freshmen Calli Varner and Amelia Runyan wait in the wings.

Finley's greatest impact came at the plate, where she put up Ruthian numbers en route to being named Ivy League Player of the Year. With a .414 average, 14 home runs and 44 runs batted in, she narrowly missed winning the league triple crown. Fellow hurler Snyder, whose hitting sharply improved over the course of last season, should follow in the cleanup slot.

Junior co-captain Ty Ries is the Tigers' rock behind the plate, providing solid defense and leadership at catcher.

Around the horn

Senior first base Kristin Del Calvo will look to regain the form that earned her All-Ivy honors as a sophomore. Although she remained solid defensively, her power numbers dropped off last season as she struggled with injuries. Still, she managed to hit .294, third on the squad. Princeton's defense is solid up the middle. Junior second base Kristin Leuke is the Tigers' emotional sparkplug, constantly chattering on the field, while sophomore shortstop Christina Cobb-Adams boasts what may be the strongest arm in the Ivy League. Leuke and Cobb-Adams will most likely bat one-two again, utilizing an arsenal of slap-hits and drag bunts to set the table for the big guns.

Sophomore third base Amanda Erickson will get the starting nod at the hot corner, though she and Ries will probably swap positions during the second game of doubleheaders. Sophomore Lindsay Motal will see spot duty at three infield positions, and several freshman also figure to see time.

At least early in the season, it may appear as if the Tigers have a revolving door in the outfield. Finley and Bingham will both start when not pitching. The third spot is up for grabs, after the graduation of Erin Valocsik '03 — freshmen Tiffany Wilson, Stephanie Steel and Tiffany Andras will all get a shot.

First things first

Princeton kicks off its season this weekend at the Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga., an invitational tournament for potential NCAA tournament teams. Although the Tigers will enter every game there as underdogs, an upset or two would prove they can compete with the nation's best.

Friday, Princeton takes on No. 19 Arizona State and South Carolina. The Tigers came within a whisker of upsetting the Gamecocks in last year's NCAA Regionals before falling, 8-7. Saturday, the Tigers face No. 21 Fresno State in the morning before bracket play begins in the afternoon.