Softball: Tigers swept by Big Red to finish season

Last season, Princeton took three of four games from a young Cornell squad. A year of development, though, has transformed the Big Red’s then-freshman pitchers, Elizabeth Dalrymple and Ali Tomlinson, into intimidating veterans who led their squad to a four-game sweep this past weekend.

The Tigers’ lineup has some of the Ivy League’s best power hitters, but their bats fell silent against Cornell’s set of sophomore aces. As a team, the Orange and Black batted only .218, failing to accumulate more than seven hits or two runs in any game.

“Overall, [our hitters] were just a little flat,” head coach Trina Salcido said.

Princeton actually began promisingly. In the first frame of Friday’s opening game at Class of 1895 Field, junior infielder Collette Abbott homered to center field on a full count. Abbott enjoyed arguably her best series of the season at the plate, knocking two home runs out of the park and posting four multi-hit games.

“[Abbott] had a really solid weekend, “Salcido said. “She got so comfortable and got in such a great rhythm, it didn’t matter where they pitched to her.”

Even in the first inning, however, it was apparent that Princeton would have a tough time overcoming Dalrymple. Though she gave up the homer to Abbott, Dalrymple struck out the side, including the team’s leading batter, senior infielder Kathryn Welch.

Junior starting pitcher Jamie Lettire gave up five runs, with most of the damage coming during a messy fifth inning. After Tomlinson kicked off the inning with a single, Lettire hit Cornell catcher Vanessa Leonhard with a pitch. A sacrifice bunt then set up the Big Red’s leadoff hitter, infielder Alyson Intihar. Intihar, who has flirted with the .400 mark this season, rapped a two-RBI double down the line. Later in the inning, an error led to another run.

Princeton ceded one more run in the sixth inning and ultimately fell 5-1.

Tomlinson returned to pitch the second game of the doubleheader and earned a shutout as the Big Red rolled to a 7-0 victory. Sophomore pitcher Michelle Tolfa was in the circle for the Tigers but ran into trouble against Cornell’s potent lineup.

Big Red infielder Ashley Garvey, who leads her team with 60 RBI and a batting average well north of .400, was virtually impossible to get out. On Saturday, Garvey collected an RBI single and a solo home run.

After hosting the first doubleheader, Princeton traveled to Ithaca, N.Y., on Sunday with hopes of redeeming itself in the season’s final two games. The Tiger offense mustered four runs in the twinbill, but the team’s pitching was not equal to Cornell’s hitters in the 4-2 and 7-2 losses.

Abbot repeated her Friday feat Sunday, hitting a home run in the first inning against Dalrymple. Unfortunately for Princeton, Dalrymple also performed up to expectations, ceding only two runs over seven innings while striking out seven.

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Lettire pitched well against the top of the Big Red lineup, holding Intihar, infielder Devon March, infielder Elise Menaker and Garvey hitless in 12 at-bats. The bottom half of Cornell’s lineup provided most of the firepower: Tomlinson, the team’s No. 7 hitter, nailed a three-run home run in the fourth inning.

Tomlinson earned her 16th win of the season in the second half of the doubleheader, defeating Princeton 7-2. The Tiger hitters seemed more comfortable against Tomlinson, striking out only three times. Despite putting the ball into play more often, however, Princeton eked out only six hits in the loss.

The Big Red essentially knocked the Tigers out in the first inning with a four-run outburst. Intihar led the inning with a single and scored on a double by Menaker. The next batter, Garvey, singled to right field. With two runners on, outfielder Meg Risica smashed a long homer to center.

After the series, Salcido said she was most impressed by Cornell’s efficiency on offense.

“They take advantage of the majority of opportunities that they have,” Salcido said. “Regardless of the situation, they do a good job of consistently scoring the run. When you play the game clean like that, good things happen.”

Princeton ended its season with a five-game losing streak and must look for answers before 2010. The Tigers may want revenge for this weekend’s sweep, but that will be quite the challenge. Cornell is well positioned to repeat as division champion, with three of its top four hitters and both of its ace starting pitchers returning next year. Next weekend, the Big Red will face either Dartmouth or Harvard for the Ivy League title.

“Cornell’s always a great team; they’re always sharp. We have a whole season to get to that consistency and that level of play,” Salcido said. “Once we go into that last weekend, it’s fun, because we’re as sharp as we’re going to be … I’m actually really excited for next year.”