Softball tries to recapture winning touch at Towson

E.M. Forster once said, "Failure or success seem to have been allotted to men by their stars. But they retain the power of wriggling, of fighting with their star or against it, and in the whole universe the only really interesting movement is this wriggle."

After a star-crossed weekend with three league losses, softball now turns its eyes to today's doubleheader at Towson (20-19 overall, 3-3 Colonial Athletic Association). The team hopes to witness another instance of Forster's universal movement as Princeton (16-13, 3-3 Ivy League) undertakes the task of trying to wriggle with its own unlucky stars and recover from the rude awakening handed to it by Harvard and Dartmouth, one that could ruin any prospects of claiming a third straight Ivy League title.

Though the Tigers only managed a split in two games with Dartmouth and went 0-2 against Harvard, the team's outlook on the weekend was still not totally negative.

"I don't think there were any real problems," senior infielder Kristin Del Calvo said. "Sometimes hits happen, and you just have to hold them. You need to get those runs early, and we just didn't have them."

Today, Princeton will try to reverse the gaze of its angry constellations and regain the momentum the team had going during its seven-game winning streak. Facing off against a team that is basically unknown to their program, the Tigers are looking to recover the confidence they lost this weekend.

"We don't know much about Towson, and we really don't need to," Del Calvo said. "We just go out there, and whoever steps out onto the field — we play them."

Towson, also nicknamed the Tigers, is paced by outfielder Katie Mumbauer, who is hitting .323 with eight home runs in 39 games. Mumbauer and outfielder Sarah Foster (.317) are the only Towson players hitting over .300 on the year. First baseman Sam Schaukowitch and outfielder Jeanne Bosch are tied for a team-high 21 runs batted in.

Jillian Kiley is the team's best pitcher, amassing a 7-1 record and a 1.47 earned run average.

"These games are a chance to get some hits under our belts, to get some big wins," Del Calvo said. "They're a chance to refocus our energy and get back on a high note."

At the head of this effort will be Snyder, Princeton's resident ace with an 8-8 record and a 1.61 ERA, and junior Melissa Finley, the Tigers' offensive power. Finley leads the team in batting (.319), home runs (5), and RBIs (19). These stars won't be the only ones in the fight, however, as Princeton has proven numerous times that it has the depth to match its drive.

"There are clearly girls who have really stepped up," Del Calvo said. "Finley is an amazing player, and Erin has been solid on the mound. But girls from top to bottom have also been making things happen."

Making things happen simply means winning. With eyes still fixed on the Ivy title, Princeton realizes the significance of its remaining conference games. Despite their 3-3 record in the Ivies, the Tigers are still hopeful that they can pull a repeat of last season and bring home another title.

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"Our three Ivy losses have put us in a precarious position," Del Calvo said. "Last year we had three losses and still came out on top. The league plays out very strangely, and there's nothing more we can do but really put our minds to winning these last eight league games. We need to win every inning of every game."

With this in mind, Princeton will travel to face Towson in search of the vital wins it needs to grapple with its fortunes and change the countenance of its unfriendly stars.