Small ball enough to win four

Princeton (13-19 overall, 12-0 Ivy League) completed a home-and-home doubleheader series against the Columbia Lions (12-23, 3-9), sweeping all four games. Over the weekend, the Tigers were dominant in all aspects of the game: pitching, fielding and hitting.

The series started at Princeton, and the Tigers wasted no time jumping on the Lions, scoring three in the first frame. Senior starting pitcher Kristen Schaus allowed just one earned run over five innings as the Tigers cruised to a 14-2 win.

The small-ball approach works particularly well when supplemented with home runs, as all three Tiger blasts were two- or three-run shots. Freshman third baseman Megan Weidrick had the first, a two-run home run, followed by freshman centerfielder Brittney Scott, who hit her first homer of the season — also a two-run blast — in the third.

The afternoon game again showcased Princeton’s brilliant pitching and solid offense. Freshman starter Michelle Tolfa tossed a three-hit, complete-game shutout as the Tigers won, 5-0. Sophomore rightfielder Kelsey Quist provided much of the offense with two home runs and three RBI. The scorecard, however, does not do justice to how dominant the Tigers were in the second game, as only four runners were stranded on base, a testament to the team’s solid execution of small-ball tactics.

Sophomore first baseman Jamie Lettire, who went an impressive nine for 16 at the plate on the weekend, summarized the approach.

“There were quite a few home runs, but most of our runs were scored through base hits and simple hitting 101,” Lettire said. “Get runners on, move them over, and get them in.”

Traveling back to New York for Sunday’s doubleheader, the Tigers again started strong. Weidrick and junior shortstop and co-captain Kathryn Welch both hit solo home runs as the second and third batters of the game. The Tigers blew open a 3-1 game in the fifth inning, sending 15 batters to the plate and scoring eight runs with nothing more powerful than singles and walks.

Schaus was again brilliant, allowing just 17 batters to step to the plate in five innings while striking out eight for a complete-game victory. The Tigers cruised to a 13-1 win.

“We definitely take it one opponent and one game at a time,” Welch said. “This weekend was great for us. Everyone throughout the lineup contributed.”

The nightcap was highlighted by another strong pitching performance. Tolfa and Lettire combined to hurl a three-hit gem, shutting out the Lions 5-0 for the second time in three games. Consecutive singles from Lettire, sophomore second baseman Colette Abbott and senior infielder and co-captain Beth Dalmut led to an early 2-0 lead. Back-to-back home runs from Welch and Lettire in the third gave the Tigers a comfortable 5-0 lead, which would be all they’d need.

“All three of our freshman hitters had home runs and consistent offensive contributions, our 3-4-5 hitters — Welch, Quist, Lettire — continue to lead by example with their RBIs and [home runs],” Salcido said in an e-mail. “Our entire pitching staff combined to effectively keep hits and runs to a minimum, and overall everyone is doing their job and loving the game.”

Salcido emphasized the learning process her team has endured.

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“Success comes from learning how to lose, learning how to win, then using this knowledge to learn how to be consistent,” Salcido said.

After a challenging spring break, when the Tigers went 1-12 on a West Coast road trip, learning from early losses has become a theme for this squad.

“Spring break was really tough at the time,” Welch said, “but ended up being a great learning experience.”

The Tigers have immense faith in each other and have learned how to win games.

“We’re intense during the whole game, but we don’t press if the other team comes back or we hit a rough patch offensively or defensively,” Lettire said.

Such a winning attitude has the Tigers primed for success over the final three weekends of the season.