Softball: Tigers back in the swing of things

After a shaky start, the team picked up the swagger of a reigning champion in a sweep of Columbia last week. Princeton’s next task will be a pair of doubleheaders against Penn on Saturday and Sunday.

The Tigers (12-14 overall, 7-5 Ivy League) won all four games last weekend by narrow margins, but the team was noticeably stronger than in its previous games. While there were several strong individual performances, some players also credited the improvement to better play as a team.

“Our hitting was obviously better,” junior pitcher and infielder Jamie Lettire said. “We all just relaxed. We stopped pressing. It felt like last year again, and we were feeding off each other’s energy and momentum.”

Lettire played exceptionally well in the Columbia games, notching two wins as a pitcher and turning in an incredible performance at the plate. The reigning Ivy League Co-Player of the Year went six-for-nine on the weekend and slugged four home runs, including a walk-off blast in the final game. Her performance was enough to earn Ivy League Player of the Week honors, the first time a Princeton player has won the award this year.

Princeton took a break from Ivy League play Thursday with a midweek twin bill at Rutgers. Lettire pitched a complete game in the opener for her third straight win, a 6-2 victory. The Tigers received a first-inning, two-run double from sophomore infielder Kristin Arguedas and a home run in the second inning from senior infielder Kathryn Welch. Lettire had a 6-0 lead before she took the mound in the second inning and cruised to her sixth win of the season.

In the nightcap, Princeton received three hits and a run from Welch but fell 8-4. Rugters got on the board early against Princeton sophomore pitcher Michelle Tolfa, and Princeton was unable to close the gap. Nevertheless, the Tigers played well on Thursday and appear to have sustained their momentum from the Columbia games.

Penn (9-24-1, 4-8) comes into this weekend’s games on a six-game losing streak that includes four losses to Ivy South Division leader Cornell.

The Quakers have struggled throughout the year, but that is no reason to count them out in these games. Last year’s Penn squad was only 5-7 when it came to the Class of 1895 Field, but it still managed to take one game out of four from a Princeton team that had yet to lose in Ivy League play.

This time around, the Tigers do not have the luxury of expendable games against Penn. Princeton trails Cornell by three games in the Ivy South standings, and will need to maintain that margin if they want a shot at the title next weekend when the team will play the Big Red four times.

“We know we have to beat Penn four times to have a shot,” said Lettire. “We can’t overlook them. They were tough last year.”

Penn has a particularly deep team, especially in the circle, where five different Quaker pitchers have three or more starts this year. This group is led by sophomore Jessie Lupardus, whose 1.88 ERA has led to six of the team’s nine wins.

Still, both teams have struggled with inconsistent pitching. There is a definite possibility of a slugfest this weekend.

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Such a scoring bonanza would certainly favor the Tigers, whose lineup is clicking at the right time.

The Quakers may have depth, but they lack the power of the Princeton team. Only one Penn player — catcher and infielder Alisha Prystowsky — has belted more than one home run this season. By contrast, four Tigers have left the yard multiple times this year.

At this point in the season, every game will have playoff intensity for Princeton, and this team of veterans should have no trouble finding it within themselves to rise to the occasion.

Assuming they continue to play like the defending champions they are, the Quakers may find themselves outmatched by a Princeton team hungry for more.