Princeton ends season frustrated

The sun dipped low over Clarke Field yesterday afternoon, and as the baseball team (15-24 overall, 11-9 Ivy League) mulled around the dugout, seven players stayed standing on the infield — a mass of orange among the brown dirt and green grass. They were this year's seniors, a phenomenal group of athletes, just minutes removed from the final game of their collegiate careers, an 8-7 loss to Rider (15-20).

It was fitting for them to linger following this particular game, for the 10 innings they had just played were an exact microcosm of their senior season. The Tigers grabbed an early lead, went behind late, battled their way back and ultimately fell in heartbreaking fashion.

Just four days ago, Princeton's postseason hopes died at the hands of Cornell (15-23, 8-12) in the 12th inning of its final Ivy League game. Prior to that loss, the team rattled off five straight door-die victories to keep those same postseason hopes alive.

"Of all the things that this class has accomplished, I think those five games may be their legacy," head coach Scott Bradley said. "The spirit and resiliency that they found to keep their season afloat was remarkable."

Yesterday afternoon's game started well for the Tigers. Senior pitchers Gavin Fabian and Michael Zaret combined for five scoreless innings and got some offensive help along the way. Princeton scored twice in the second inning on back-to-back RBI singles by junior outfielder Spencer Lucian and freshman first baseman Brian Berkowitz and added a run in the third on an RBI single from senior second baseman Aaron Prince.

Freshman pitcher Jon Broscious took over in the sixth and immediately struggled to get outs. The Broncos loaded the bases with two outs, then strung together back-to-back hits to grab a 4-3 lead. Rider scored again and loaded the bases again in the seventh, but Broscious induced a crucial inning-ending double play to keep the score at 5-3.

Seventh-inning RBI from sophomore outfielder Derek Beckman and senior first baseman Eric Zaziski tied the score at five, and the Tigers regained the lead in the eighth when junior rightfielder Micah Kaplan scored on a wild pitch.

Princeton's lead was short-lived, however. In the top of the ninth, the Broncos got a leadoff walk and eventually singled in the tying run against freshman pitcher Langford Stuber. The Tigers were unable to win it in the ninth, but Rider broke the stalemate in the 10th. The Broncos loaded the bases against junior pitcher Steven Miller and scored twice, once an RBI single and then again on a wild pitch.

Princeton flirted with a comeback in the bottom of the inning, scoring once, but the team stranded the tying run at second base and the game ended as an 8-7 Tiger loss.

After the final out, as seniors exchanged hugs with classmates and fellow teammates, spirits were high. Sure, they had just ended their season with a loss, but this game was about more than just winning and losing.

"The loss doesn't really matter," Bradley said. "There were more important things today. This was about getting [senior catcher] Ian Shannon, who is such a huge part of this team, some big hits. This was about getting our seniors a chance to go out with the respect that they deserve ... This group has given us unbelievable leadership."

The seniors have been instrumental in the team's success this year, both on and off the field. Senior thirdbaseman Sal Iacono led the team with a .424. batting average, five homers and 35 RBI. Classmate Eric Walz led the team's starters with a 3-1 record and a 4.11 ERA, and those are just two of the team's seven seniors, who all made a difference this season.

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Thirty minutes after the game ended, the entire team had left the field, but the seniors stayed planted in the dugout watching the sun set on their collegiate careers.

"It goes by a lot quicker than you would expect," Prince said of his final season with the Tigers. "It was an incredible experience. These guys are my best friends, and we have put in a lot of hard work together. It sucks that it is over, and I'm certainly going to miss it."