Seton Hall takes pair from softball

With two Ivy League doubleheaders on the horizon for this weekend, the softball team took to Class of 1895 field yesterday in a doubleheader against Seton Hall that would provide the team with a good warm up for this weekend's conference action.

Despite high confidence resulting from winning three of their last four, the Tigers (20-17) fell to the Pirates (29-13) in both games, by scores of 3-0 in the first game and 7-2 in the second game.

In the first game, Princeton ace sophomore Erin Snyder dueled with Seton Hall's Megan Meyer for five scoreless innings. The weapons were neither sabers nor pistols, however, but rather deadly pitches from 43 feet.

But in the sixth inning, Snyder let a pitch get away, drilling designated hitter Danielle Steinseifzer and giving her a free pass to first base. Then, with two men out in the inning, shortstop Katie Pierce belted a home run to left-center field, her second of the season, putting the Pirates on top 2-0.

In the seventh, freshman Calli Varner relieved Snyder, who fell to 9-10 on the season with the midweek loss, and she gave up one run in an inning of relief.

The Tiger offense proved unable to get into a solid rhythm against Meyer, who improved to 14-5. Despite four hits, the Tigers stranded seven runners on base and proved unable to push a run across the plate, getting just four hits off Meyer.

Game two

In the second game, the Pirates offense volcanically burst out of its dormancy, burying Princeton in ash, pumice, and liquid hot magma, scoring seven runs on the shell-shocked Tigers.

Seton Hall wasted no time, scoring in the top of the first. Right fielder Caitlin White led off the inning with a single off junior Melissa Finley and advanced to third on two sacrifice bunts. Pierce then singled to drive her in.

In the second, the Pirates led off the inning with three singles to load the bases. Steinseifzer, proving to be a veritable bull's eye, was again hit by a pitch, driving in a run.

Second baseman D'Arcy Djakalovic then singled to drive in the Pirates' second run of the inning, although Finley was then able to get out of the jam with no further damage.

In the fourth, Princeton finally mounted a counterattack, as senior first baseman Kristin Del Calvo blasted a home run over the wall in right-center field, her second long shot of the season, bringing the score to 3-1.

But Seton Hall replied in kind in the fifth when designated hitter Laura Taylor hit a two-run homer off freshman Amelia Runyan, who had replaced Finley in the fourth. It was Taylor's seventh home run of the season.

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In the bottom of that inning the moribund Princeton offense showed some signs of life. Junior designated hitter Kristin Lueke led off the inning with a bunt single, advanced to second on a fielder's choice, and then to third after tagging up on a fly out.

Freshman center fielder Stephanie Steel then singled to drive in Lueke for the Tigers' second and final run of the game.

But the Pirates gave Princeton no respite, posting two more runs. White singled, and then pinch hitter McKenzie Williams drove her in with a booming triple to dead center field.

Djakalovic then doubled to drive her in and complete Seton Hall's offensive barrage.

Senior left fielder Wendy Bingham and sophomore shortstop Cristina Cobb-Adams both finished the game with two hits apiece in the losing effort for the Tigers. Again, however, Princeton failed to execute in the clutch as it stranded eight runners on base throughout the game. Seton Hall left nine on base.

The Tigers will host Cornell on Saturday and Columbia on Sunday in their final home games of the season, and will need to sweep both series to have a chance at the Ivy League title.

Princeton (6-4) currently stands fourth in the league behind Yale (6-2), Harvard (5-3) and Brown (5-3), and must hope that these teams falter. The Crimson have to face both Yale and Brown in doubleheaders this weekend, meaning the door is open for the Tigers.