Softball: One-run losses a trend for spring trip

The Gaels (12-15) and Tigers went into the ninth inning tied at six before St. Mary’s second baseman Lauren Clark, first baseman Katelyn LaRussa and pinch-runner Amelia McIntosh manufactured the winning run. Clark walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch before being pulled for McIntosh. LaRussa then singled to left centerfield against sophomore pitcher Michelle Tolfa, who had given up 13 hits over the previous eight innings.

The Gaels’ ninth-inning score erased an otherwise productive day from Princeton’s offense. The Tigers pulled ahead in the first four innings, staking themselves a 4-2 lead. But St. Mary’s scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run single from Clark.

Princeton regained the lead in the top of the eighth inning when junior rightfielder Kelsey Quist, who hit 14 home runs last season to tie for the team lead, connected on her first long ball of the year. Quist’s homer also scored senior shortstop and captain Kathryn Welch and gave the Tigers a 6-4 lead.

But Princeton could not shut the door on the irrepressible Gaels. In the bottom of the eighth, Tolfa retired LaRussa on a fly ball but then gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases. St. Mary’s catcher Jenna Smith put the exclamation mark on the inning by lacing a double down the left-field line, scoring two runners and tying the game.

Tolfa bounced back the next day in the first of two games against San Jose State (11-21). Though she struck out only one batter, Tolfa tossed seven scoreless innings and clamped down on the Spartan lineup, ceding only six hits in the 4-0 shutout victory.

The Tigers took advantage of errors from San Jose State in the third and fourth innings to score two runs in each frame. Princeton relied on a bit of small ball: Freshman leftfielder Nicole Ontiveros led off in the third with a bunt single, and it was followed by an infield single from senior centerfielder Brianna Moreno and a single up the middle from junior first baseman Jamie Lettire. A sacrifice fly from Welch scored Ontiveros, and Moreno came home on a fielding error.

The teams saw more of the same in the fourth inning, with the first run coming on a bases-loaded walk drawn by Lettire and the second coming on a single from Welch.

The Spartans got the last laugh, though, as they beat Princeton in the second half of the doubleheader. Quist started the game but struggled with her command, walking five in three innings and giving up eight runs in an 8-5 defeat. Quist had more success at the plate, going two-for-four with two RBI. Freshman third baseman Kelsey VandeBergh also shined in the contest, posting two hits and two RBI.

The Tigers moved on to Palo Alto, Calif., for the Stanford Tournament. Princeton won its only one-run contest during spring break in its first game in the tournament, an 8-7 victory over Winthrop (11-14).

The Eagles scored a run in the first to secure an early lead, but the Tigers broke out in the third inning. Following inning-opening singles from sophomore catcher Brittney Scott and Ontiveros, Princeton sacrifice-bunted to move the runners up for VandeBergh. The precocious rookie took advantage of the opportunity, knocking in both runners with a double up the middle. VandeBergh would cross the plate one batter later on a Welch single.

The game went back and forth for the next few innings, with Winthrop establishing a three-run lead by the bottom of the seventh, but the Tigers then staged an epic comeback. Once again, Scott and Ontiveros started off the inning on the right foot by getting on base. Two batters later, the middle of the order for the Tigers had a chance to come through in the clutch and did not disappoint. Welch, who was on a hot streak over spring break, smacked a two-run single to bring the Tigers within one.

Momentum was clearly swinging in Princeton’s direction, and the outcome of the game fell into Quist’s able hands. The power-hitting rightfielder didn’t miss her chance, nailing a 1-1 pitch over the fence for a walk-off home run that gave the Tigers the win.

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Unfortunately for Princeton, Quist’s triumphant shot proved to be the weekend’s high point. The Tigers put up a valiant effort against host No. 4 Stanford (28-1), but Cardinal pitcher Missy Penna was simply too much for Princeton’s lineup in the 1-0 loss. Penna, who ran her record to an astonishing 16-1 against the Tigers, threw seven shutout innings and struck out eight.

Tolfa picked up a hard-luck loss in the game, as she surrendered only one run over her six innings against one of the nation’s most potent offenses.

Perhaps deflated by the close loss, Princeton dropped its game against Santa Clara (5-21) by a score of 7-6. Despite a good day from Ontiveros in the leadoff position — the leftfielder went two-for-four — and Lettire’s third home run of the season, the Tigers struggled to clamp down on the Broncos’ offense.

Pacific (15-14) ran Princeton’s streak of one-run losses to three, handing the Tigers a 6-5 defeat. Princeton held a 5-2 lead after five innings, but once again it could not hold on, ceding four runs over the final two frames.

In their final game, the Tigers lost 9-6 in a rematch with Winthrop. Eagles rightfielder Lisa Kingsmore did most of the damage, going two-for-three with three RBI. Overall, six Winthrop batters collected a least an RBI on the day, which began when Tolfa, the scheduled starter, was replaced at the last minute by Lettire.

With so many unlucky early-season losses, Princeton can only hope that its string of bad luck has run out just in time for the start of Ivy League play. Next weekend, the Tigers face Yale and Brown at Class of 1895 Field. The two doubleheaders are both Princeton’s first league games and its first home games of the season.