Rutgers wins Jersey battle

When a team falls into a cold spell, it can often seem as if the opponents are hitting with bigger bats. Every hit goes farther, the strikeouts come less frequently and the walks start to pile up.

Unfortunately for the softball team (9-18 overall), which went into its most recent doubleheader mired in a seven-game slump, all these symptoms were present in Wednesday's pair of losses, 10-0 and 9-4, to Rutgers.

The day's first matchup lasted only five innings because the Scarlet Knights pounded the Tiger pitching staff. Senior starter Calli Jo Varner made it through two quiet innings before Rutgers began its barrage in the third.

The trouble began as Varner worked against the bottom of the order. Scarlet Knights pitcher Nicole Lindley hit a ball that darted past the left side of the infield for a single. On the next pitch, leftfielder Amanda Heller singled up the middle.

Second baseman Brittany Loisel, who is currently hitting .327, placed a strategic bunt up the line. Princeton's infield defense was unable to get the out at first, loading the bases for centerfielder Amanda Shaw. Shaw put up a fight during her at-bat. After a wild pitch scored Lindley, Shaw walked to load the bases once again.

After a fielder's choice, Rutgers' most consistent hitter came to the plate. Shortstop Sarah Kalka, who boasts a .357 average and has only struck out 11 times in 70 plate appearances, lived up to her reputation as a contact hitter by drilling a single into right field. The hit scored Loisel and Shaw.

Varner's troubles did not end there. After facing the Scarlet Knights' most consistent hitter, Varner found herself staring down Rutgers' most powerful one. Rightfielder Mallory Miller, the team's current home runs leader, launched one over the fence on a 2-2 pitch. The homer netted her 3 RBIs and was the last damage the Knights would inflict for the inning.

Rutgers, however, never needed anything more than the six runs scored in the third inning. The Tigers' offense struggled to make up the deficit against Lindley. Princeton had a mere two hits in 17 at-bats, one a single off the bat of freshman second baseman Collette Abbott and the other a single by senior centerfielder Stephanie Steel.

Lindley had an all-around powerhouse performance, going two-for-two with two runs scored and pitching five shutout innings. Lindley allowed only two hits and a walk and finished her day with an efficient 79 pitches thrown.

The Scarlet Knights brought the lion's share of their momentum with them to the next game. In the bottom of the first, facing freshman starter Jamie Lettire in the circle, Rutgers exploded.

After Lettire worked a 2-2 count against Loisel, the Scarlet Knights' leadoff hitter dug in and hit her first home run of the season. After singles by Shaw and Kalka, Miller doubled to right field to drive in her fourth RBI in two games.

Lettire managed to quell the outbreak after four runs scored, and for a moment it looked as if the Tigers would turn their misfortune around. Lettire led off the second inning with a single and was advanced to second on third baseman Jackie Araneo's sacrifice bunt. After a strikeout and a walk by junior shortstop Lauren Bierman, first baseman Beth Dalmut roped a single to center field for her first RBI of the series.

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Sophomore catcher Larkin Brogan walked to bring Steel up to bat. Steel demonstrated her extra-base skills and boosted her slugging percentage with a three-RBI double. Her clutch hit came on a 2-0 count and fell into the gap between left and center.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, Rutgers chose to bring Lindley back into play. After taking the ball from starter Chrissy Yard, Lindley put out the fire and went on to shut the Tigers down for five innings. In a manner similar to the one from the previous game, Lindley allowed no runs on only one hit and one walk.

The Scarlet Knights, meanwhile, bolstered by the presence of their ace pitcher, began to pull away. In the fourth inning, Loisel hit an RBI double and scored on a throwing error to put her team up 6-4.

Rutgers' best hitters led off the next inning and continued their rampage against Tigers pitching. Kalka and Miller led off the very next inning with singles, and both eventually scored in a three-run inning that put the final margin at 9-4.

Princeton's losing streak currently stands at nine after the team was pummeled by a seemingly enhanced Rutgers team. The Tigers, who will soon begin conference competition, hope that their Ivy League opponents won't prove so impossibly unassailable.