Softball: New season, new mechanics for Tolfa

With the departure of Kristen Schaus ’08, the Tigers (1-1 overall) were left with a gaping hole in their pitching staff. Schaus dominated collegiate opponents from the moment she stepped on the field, winning Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors in 2005 and finishing her years as a Tiger as Princeton’s career leader in strikeouts. For the first time in several years, Schaus’ steadying presence was no longer in the circle for Princeton’s first game this season.

Tolfa didn’t drop the ball, however, tossing a complete game to help the Tigers win against Dayton (2-8) in their first game of 2009. Tolfa showed that her coaches’ confidence in her was justified by allowing only three hits and two walks over her seven innings while also striking out seven Dayton batters.

Describing Princeton’s pitching staff in the offseason, head coach Trina Salcido stressed the team’s “staff mentality.”

“It is not our style to name an ‘ace’ or concurrently a No. 2 pitcher. We have three talent pitchers, two of whom — [junior] Jamie Lettire and Michelle Tolfa — saw significant innings last year,” Salcido said in an e-mail on Feb. 18. “Both have made major improvements in their game in the offseason.”

Indeed, Tolfa appeared to take her expanded role quite seriously heading into last offseason. In 2008, the freshman hurler dealt with a stress fracture in her ribs that may have been caused by poor mechanics. After she healed, Tolfa revamped her throwing mechanics and has seen noticeable results.

“Over the summer I pitched a ton, and with the new mechanics I picked up two to three miles per hour,” Tolfa said. “All my pitches move more than they ever have.”

The biggest addition to Tolfa’s repertoire is a new and improved riseball. The pitch works particularly well in conjunction with her slow curveball, which moves in the opposite direction. Besides the riseball and curve, Tolfa’s arsenal also features a dropball — a pitch analogous to a sinking fastball in baseball — a screwball and a changeup.

Tolfa’s career with the Tigers began unremarkably. In Princeton’s Feb. 29, 2008, contest against Niagara, the then-freshman came on in relief of Schaus and gave up two runs in 1.2 innings. Despite the rib injury, however, the young pitcher quickly adjusted to the level of competition.

By the time the Tigers reached the heart of Ivy League competition, Tolfa was one of the squad’s key pitchers. She picked up her first career save in an 8-1 victory over Yale on April 5, 2008, then started the second game of that day’s doubleheader. One week later, she threw a complete-game shutout of Columbia, ceding only three hits to the Lions.

All told, Tolfa made 22 appearances and 11 starts for the Tigers, posting a 3.64 ERA and a 7-4 record. Throughout the season, she absorbed the knowledge of the team’s veterans — especially Princeton’s resident ace.

“[Schaus] is such an amazing person,” Tolfa said. “It was a huge help to have a more experienced pitcher to support me and get me through some of the more difficult adjustments I had to make in moving up to the collegiate level.”

If there was one weakness in Tolfa’s game last year, it was in striking out batters. Because of her injury, Tolfa did not have the same velocity and movement on her pitches.

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In 80.2 innings pitched, she struck out only 38 batters. Reaching to strike three will be one of Tolfa’s priorities this season.

“My personal goals are basically just to throw my best every game,” Tolfa said. “More specifically, I’d like to get a lot more strikeouts, a lot less walks and maybe a few more shutouts.”

Tolfa stressed the primacy of team goals. After winning the Ivy League Championship in her rookie season, she said she expects nothing less in the years to come.

“Winning the championship was an amazing experience,” Tolfa said. “Of course, now that last year’s season has kind of set the bar for me, it’s going to be hard to beat it.”

The team’s goals include defending the Ivy title and going to NCAA Regionals, where Princeton hopes to find more success than it did at the conclusion of last season.

If Tolfa pitches to her full potential, a season that began with rainouts may well end in the sunshine of NCAA Super Regionals.