The softball team opened the season over the weekend with strong pitching and weak hitting, playing five games while competing in the Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga.
The Tigers finished the weekend with two wins and three losses, despite extremely difficult competition and a general lack of offense. Four of the five teams that the Tigers played are ranked in the top 25.
On Friday, Princeton defeated No. 18 Arizona State by a score of 3-1, before losing to No. 20 South Carolina, 6-0.
The Tigers continued their success early on Saturday, eking out an upset win over No. 16 Fresno State by a mark of 1-0. However, later that day unranked Notre Dame shellacked the Tigers, 10-1.
On Sunday, the Tigers lost 2-0 to No. 3 California, despite a two-hitter by sophomore pitcher Erin Snyder.
Snyder performed well throughout the weekend, earning both wins in dominant performances against Arizona State and Fresno State. She allowed a total of only eight hits and one run in those two games.
Snyder's performances saved the weekend for the Tigers, who only managed five runs for the five games.
Snyder was Ivy League Rookie of the Year and a unanimous All-Ivy selection last year.
Against Arizona State, Princeton only managed one hit, yet still pulled through for the victory. After the Sun Devils scored in the bottom of the first, the Tigers tied the game in the top of the third when freshman Stephanie Steel drove in junior Kristin Lueke with a sacrifice fly. The Tigers took the lead in the top of the fifth, when Lueke had an RBI on a fielder's choice and Steel came through with her second sac fly of the game. The Tigers held on to win behind Snyder's pitching. Ironically enough the Tigers' lone hit came in an inning in which they failed to score.
Princeton's lack of offense would come back to hurt them against South Carolina, as the Tigers again only managed one hit, this one by junior Melissa Finley. This time, however, Princeton was unable to score. The Gamecocks struck first in the top of the first, before scoring two more in the fifth and three in the seventh.
The team rebounded in their win against Fresno State, with the offense coming to life and managing seven hits. The Tigers, who left seven runners on base, scored their only run in the sixth inning when two errors allowed senior Wendy Bingham both to reach base and score. That run was all Princeton needed behind Snyder.
Against Notre Dame, the game was close until the last two innings, when the Fighting Irish pounded out nine runs. Notre Dame scored in the top of the first, and Princeton tied the game in the bottom of the fourth with Snyder's first home run of the year. In the fifth, however, the Irish started their offensive barrage, which proved to be too much for the Tigers. The game also saw a solid performance from Lueke who went two for three.
On Sunday, the Tigers played in the Silver Championship consolation game against California. California struck the fatal blow early, scoring its two runs in the top of the first inning on a double by Jessica Pamanian. Although Snyder did not allow another hit, the Tigers could not mount a comeback, scattering only three hits in the game.
Princeton will hope to build from this performance before they embark on a West Coast road trip over spring break.
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