This past weekend, Princeton softball (19–15 overall, 12–3 Ivy League) won two crucial games in a three-game series against Cornell (11–20, 4–8). After splitting a pair of games on Saturday afternoon, the Tigers won on Sunday, which was enough to tie the Harvard Crimson (21–12–1, 12–3) for first place in the Ivy League.
The Tigers traveled to Ithaca this past weekend with high stakes. Following their three-game sweep against Columbia (13–9, 8–7), the reigning Ivy League Champions were firmly in the race for another Ivy League title.
Princeton had an explosive offensive display in the opening game, putting up nine consecutive runs over the fourth and fifth innings. Senior catcher Adrienne Chang’s single brought in the Tigers’ first run in the fourth, followed up by another two runs from junior second baseman Cate Bade, who put the Tigers up 3–0 with her first career home run.
The Tigers continued building their offensive momentum in the fifth inning, scoring six runs on six hits and a walk to extend Princeton’s lead to 9–0.
The Cornell Big Red came out swinging in the bottom of the seventh inning, with a major offensive rally, headlined by a three-run homerun that cut the Tiger’s lead to one. However, with the tying run on first base and the game-winning run at the plate, the Tigers were able to force a ground out and come away with the win.
Senior pitcher Alexis Laudenslager earned the victory on the mound, and sophomore pitcher Meghan Harrington pitched the final inning in relief.
Princeton’s narrow win in the first game was followed by yet another thriller later that afternoon. A bases-loaded double from Chang in the first inning allowed Princeton to take an early two-run lead. The game was far from one-sided, as Princeton and Cornell exchanged spots for the lead throughout the game before entering the final inning with a 10–5 Big Red advantage.
Princeton threatened Cornell’s lead in the top of the seventh, recording four runs on two walks, two hits, and an error. Sophomore pinch hitter Lauren Pappert came up big for the Tigers with a two-out, two-run single that cut the deficit down to just one run. However, the Tigers ultimately came up short, and the Big Red closed out the game with a 10–9 win.
After splitting Saturday’s doubleheader, the Tigers dropped to second place, half a game behind Harvard. Going into Sunday’s final game against the Big Red, Princeton sought to win the series and tie the Crimson for first place.
Laudenslager shined on the mound during Sunday’s game, tying her career high with 13 strikeouts. She allowed just two earned runs on eight hits and two walks throughout all seven innings.
The Tigers’ offense supported Laudenslager with a great showing at the plate. Sophomore first baseman Sophia Marsalo led off the third inning with a double and sophomore outfielder Lauren Sablone drove her in with a sacrifice fly to even the score at 1–1. Hits from senior outfielder Serena Starks and first-year infielder Julia Dumais allowed the Tigers to pick up two more runs to extend Princeton’s lead to 3–1.
Both Princeton and Cornell would each tack on two more runs in the fifth and sixth innings, but ultimately, the Tigers would come away with a 5–3 victory.
The Tigers will face the Harvard Crimson in a three-game series next weekend at home. This series is a crucial one for both teams, as the winner will take control of first place in the Ivy League, along with the hosting duties for the Ivy League tournament.
“We’re really looking forward to playing Harvard this weekend,” Chang wrote to The Daily Princetonian. “All of the pieces are starting to come together, and our best game is still ahead of us. Harvard is always great competition, but we are excited for the opportunity to play them on our home field and make a statement in the league.”
Sarina Sheth is a Sports contributor for the ‘Prince.’
Please direct any corrections requests to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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