Cardinals only challenge for Tigers

In an old fable, a powerful lion is forced to cede his dominance to a lowly mouse because the mouse removes a thorn from his paw. The story, while fairly unlikely in the real world, proves that the bigger, stronger animal isn't always the most powerful.

This weekend, as the softball team (5-4) traveled to the Maryland Invitational in College Park, Md., the Tigers' greatest foes were mere birds.

The University of Louisville Cardinals (11-8) defeated the Tigers twice, once on Friday and once on Sunday, dealing Princeton its only two defeats of the weekend. Princeton also faced Central Connecticut State (2-8) on Friday, the University of Rhode Island (1-8) on Saturday and the University of Maryland (10-9) on Sunday, finishing the weekend with a 3-2 record.

The weekend was a real test for the Tigers, who are starting the season with great individual potential but are burdened by nascent team dynamics. Louisville, which finished the weekend 5-0, was the toughest team at College Park, and Princeton had a lot to learn when facing them.

Princeton's real battle against the Cardinals was at the plate, where the Tigers struggled to make solid connections and get on base early enough to take control away from Louisville. During Friday's game, the Tigers had only two hits, a lead-off double in the fourth inning from senior outfielder Stephanie Steel and a seventh inning single from freshman infielder Collette Abbott.

On Sunday, after a successful comeback against Central Connecticut State, URI and UMD, Princeton had trouble at the plate again, with six back-to-back strikeouts in the first through third innings and no hits until freshman outfielder Kelsey Quist's fifth inning rocket to right field, her second home run — and Princeton's sixth — of the season. Though Quist's homer seemed like a prime turnaround point for the Tigers, it was their only run against the Cardinals all weekend, and the second game ended as decisively as the first, 6-1 Louisville.

Aside from the two Louisville games, the Maryland Invitational was a successful weekend for the Tigers, presenting evidence that the team has started to come together and find its groove.

Before Sunday's game against Louisville, Princeton saw great performances against Central Connecticut, URI and UMD. The Tigers combined all the essential elements in these games, coming out strong defensively while simultaneously attacking from the plate. While Princeton's hitters found quite a bit of air against Louisville, the empty sound of a strike was replaced by successive pings as opponents' pitches veritably rebounded off the Tigers' bats.

Hitting carries Tigers

In their last game of regular play Saturday against URI, the Tigers seemed to hit everything. While Princeton relied on senior CalliJo Varner on the mound, Rhode Island used two pitchers, changing after the fourth inning. Though Princeton is still working out its pitching order, its hitting lineup was right on key.

The Tigers pounced immediately, with a home run in the first inning from Kelsey Quist,capitalizing on Abbott's single. The next inning, freshman first baseman Jamie Lettire followed suit, blasting the ball over the left field fence. Varner joined both Lettire and Quist in the third inning, sending the ball just inside the foul pole. Thirteen hits and five innings later, the Tigers had leapt to a 9-0 lead over Rhode Island. Happily claiming the run rule, Princeton ended the game after just 6 innings and proceeded to the finals the next day.

Wins against Maryland, 4-1, and Central Connecticut, 3-1, helped the Tigers to gain the footing that they needed against Rhode Island. Though Louisville was a tough opponent, the Tigers can take a lot from those games, and as they gain experience they are only getting stronger offensively and defensively. Little red birds shouldn't be a problem for long.