Softball sweeps Rider in doubleheader

For senior catcher Ty Ries and senior centerfielder Melissa Finley, yesterday's doubleheader against Rider was bittersweet. Though the softball team (35-18 overall, 12-2 Ivy League) enjoyed dominant 4-0 and 9-0 victories over the visiting Broncos, the contests also marked its final regular season performance.

Princeton's first run came when freshman first baseman Beth Dalmut hit one over the fences for her fourth home run of the season. With the score 1-0, the Tigers loaded the bases for freshman shortshop Lauren Bierman with two down. She drew a walk, taking a tough pitch off the outside corner for ball three, making the score 2-0.

In the fifth, Princeton again loaded the bases for Ries, who ripped a hard single into left to score both junior pitcher Erin Snyder and Dalmut. Rider pitcher Maddy Boulden was able to get the next two batters out to end the inning before the Tigers were able to do serious damage.

Four runs were plenty for Snyder, who allowed only four hits while striking out nine. This is Snyder's 10th shutout of the season, which places her second on the all-time shutout list.

In the second game, sophomore third baseman Tiffany Andras was able to get one past the second baseman in the second inning with the bases jacked to score two runs, making it 2-0 Tigers.

In the third, Rider had a runner on second when a ball scooted under Bierman's glove, but Finley made a perfect throw to Ries at home to gun out the runner sprinting for home.

In the fifth, with runners on first and second, Finley singled to score junior shortstop Christina Cobb-Adams to put the score at 3-0 in the fifth. With a runner on base, Ries put one over the leftfield fences to give the Tigers a 5-0 lead.

Freshman Kristin Schaus pitched five shutout innings before yielding to sophomore Amanda Runyan, who closed out the game. Princeton enforced the mercy rule in the sixth, with Ries getting the key single that put the Tigers up 9-0 to end the game.