Plenty of work for Tigers over break

"No rest for the weary" is a cliche that the Princeton softball team will certainly believe by the end of next week. During spring break the Tigers (5-4 overall) will head to Florida to compete in several double headers and two weekend tournaments. Over the course of 10 days, the team will play 14 plus games in different locations around the Sunshine State.

The Tigers begin their grueling schedule in Tampa at the University of South Florida's Speedline Invitational Tournament, taking on Boston University at 10 a.m. today. The Terriers are 11-5 on the season and boast a stellar offense.

They have two players batting around .400 with outfielder Chiya Louie at .422 and catcher Christy Leath at .391. Louie has been the team's power hitter thus far with a .822 slugging percentage.

Starter Cassidi Hardy has been improving over the course of the season and has a strong 2.93 ERA. The Tiger defense will have to make sure and stay alert as the Terriers tend to come alive in the middle innings; through 16 games, B.U. has scored 26 runs in the fourth inning alone.

Next on the schedule for Princeton will be a 12 p.m. Friday game against Indiana University (10-9). Infielder Jennilee Huddleston is its top offensive star with a .339 batting average, while pitcher Monica Wright maintains a sterling 2.67 ERA.

The Hoosiers have been struggling with their hitting of late. As a team, Indiana is only batting .259, while allowing its opponents to bat at a .267 clip against their pitchers. The Tigers will look to capitalize on their offensive strength to defeat the Hoosiers.

Saturday at 10 a.m. Princeton will take on the University at Buffalo in the final game of its bracket. The Bulls (1-15) have gotten off to a very slow start this season. On offense they are led by two underclassmen outfielders. Freshman Kristen Gallipani paces the team in batting average with a .333 mark, and sophomore Erin Zilka has hit two home runs while maintaining a .317 average.

The pitching staff has been less than stellar for the Bulls, compiling a team ERA of 8.15.

If the Tigers win their bracket, they will advance to the tournament semifinals Sunday afternoon. The team will have an off-day Monday, traveling to Deland, Fla., to take on Stetson University in a double header Tuesday night at 6 and 8 p.m.

The Hatters (14-4) have had a terrific start to their season, maintaining solid statistics on both offense and defense. Their star thus far has been first baseman Andrea Migliori, who has amassed a .404 batting average and a whopping .885 slugging percentage. Migliori is also the team's main power source, having hit eight home runs.

Outfielder Sherrel Fountain has been a dynamic force for the Hatters on the base paths, stealing 12 bases on 14 attempts. Starter Erica Demers leads the pitching staff for Stetson with a miniscule 0.90 ERA.

The Tigers will have to be on top of their game to beat a cruising Stetson, but so far the team feels ready for anyone.

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"I feel our team has great chemistry," freshman outfielder Kelsey Quist said. "No matter who's playing in the field or who's in the lineup, we all get along and we all feel comfortable with each other, which is very important."

On Wednesday Princeton travels back to Tampa to take on the University of South Florida in a double header. The Bulls (21-13) are led by senior first baseman Danielle Urbanik, who has a .359 batting average, and pitcher Cristi Ecks with a 0.40 ERA. Ecks has held opponents to a .215 batting average, so the Tigers will need to bring their A-game if they hope to topple her.

The Orange and Black continues its string of double headers by moving on to Gainsville to take on a perennial softball powerhouse, the University of Florida.

The Gators (20-11) are very young this year, and all of their team leaders are underclassmen players. Utility player Kim Waleszonia has the team's highest batting average at .336, while catcher Francesca Enea has slugged three home runs for Florida.

"Our biggest game will probably be against Florida," senior pitcher Calli Jo Varner said. "They are coming off of a win over number-one ranked Tennessee, so we are really pumped up to play them."

To close out its spring break trip, Princeton heads back to Deland for the Stetson University Invitational. They Tigers start out the competition facing Kent State at 9 a.m. Friday.

The Golden Flashes (7-6) started the season at 4-0 but have quickly lost momentum. They have been shut out in four of their six losses. The bats of Kent State are either very hot or very cold, and the Tiger pitching staff should look to silence them early.

Friday afternoon the Tigers will regroup and take on Lipscomb University. The Bisons (9-13) have had a very slow start to the season, potentially due to their very young roster.

On Saturday, Princeton will face two familiar foes in Lipscomb University at 11:30 a.m. and Stetson University at 4:30 p.m.

Sunday morning will also include a rematch, as the Tigers will again take on Kent State at 9 a.m.

Overall, the Tigers are confident in their ability to come together as a team.

"I think our main competitor right now is ourselves," Quist said. "If we can maintain a positive and upbeat attitude and continue to play to our potential, we will be a tough team to beat."