Tigers clinch Ivy title

The softball team is NCAA tournament-bound, as a 4-0 league weekend earned it the Ivy League crown and the subsequent automatic bid to NCAAs. Though rain pushed back this weekend's doubleheaders against Yale and Brown, Princeton (33-14 overall, 12-2 Ivy League) continued its winning ways by shutting out Yale on Sunday afternoon, 3-0 and 4-0, and then downing Brown twice on Monday by scores of 4-0 and 7-3.

Pitching remained the Tigers' key to success as they three-hit the Bulldogs in Sunday's sweep in New Haven, Conn. Junior hurler Erin Snyder held a no-hitter until the fourth inning of the first game against Yale (13-25, 2-8). She ended up allowing only two hits while striking out 13 batters over a nine-inning game in her eighth shutout of 2005. Freshman pitcher Kristen Schaus also held a no-hitter until the fourth inning in the second game. When all was said and done, she had allowed only one single and had fanned seven Bulldogs for her sixth shutout this season.

Game one, a pitcher's duel, was scoreless until the ninth inning when the Tigers came through big in a small way with three well-placed bunts. Junior third baseman Amanda Erickson led off the inning with a walk, and sophomore outfielder Tiffany Wilson stepped in to pinch run. Two successive bunts by junior pinch-hitter Lindsay Motal and sophomore outfielder Stephanie Steel loaded the bases. Each time the Bulldogs tried to catch Wilson, the lead runner, only to fail.

With the bases jacked, senior catcher Ty Ries followed up with yet another bunt to drive in Wilson and break the stalemate. Sophomore outfielder Tiffany Andras finished the job with a shot to rightfield for two more insurance runs, bringing the score to 3-0. The Bulldogs could not answer against Snyder in the bottom of the ninth.

Princeton wasted no time in the second game, as Erickson smacked a bases-loaded double to drive in senior outfielder Melissa Finley and freshman Lauren Biermann for a 2-0 lead. Snyder pounded a two-run shot in the third inning with Finley on second to give the Tigers a 4-0 advantage, plenty of breathing room for Schaus to finish up her one-hitter.

Divine Providence

The doubleheader against Brown (10-14-1, 2-6) ended the Tigers' Ivy season on a high note. Two Princeton wins in Providence, R.I., clinched the Ivy title for the Tigers, who reclaim the league crown after a year's absence.

Finley drove home Andras in the second to put Princeton on the board. The Tigers later took advantage of three Bear errors in the sixth to pad their lead by two more runs.

Once again, Snyder put forth a solid performance to support her team's offense. Snyder earned her second shutout in as many days, giving up only four hits while fanning nine batters. She also notched a solo home run in the seventh, driving the final nail into Brown's coffin in game one.

Later that day in the second game, the Bears scored the first runs against the Tigers all weekend. Schaus gave up three runs, but a Princeton offensive outburst proved to be too much for Brown. Freshman first baseman Beth Dalmut drove in four of the Tigers' seven runs. At the end of the day, Princeton's 7-3 win earned the team the Ivy title.

Princeton hosts St. Joseph's at Class of 1895 Field this afternoon at 3 p.m.