Every softball player dreams of hitting a game-winning home run in the last inning of a close contest. Few actually get the chance to live that dream.
Sunday in College Park, Md., junior catcher Devon Keefe came to the plate in the sixth with the bases loaded, nobody out and the game tied at six.
With one swing of the bat, Keefe turned dream into reality — crushing a grand slam and securing a 10-6 victory for the softball team over La Salle.
The victory capped a solid opening weekend for Princeton (2-2 overall), as the Tigers split four games at the Terrapin Invitational — winning 4-0 and 10-6 over La Salle, and losing 6-5 and 1-0 to Maryland and UConn, respectively.
In Sunday's battle versus the Explorers, Princeton found itself down by six runs early, as La Salle (1-7) jumped all over freshman starter Sarah Jane White. The Tigers did not give in, however, scoring once in the bottom of the first inning and five times in the second to tie the game at six.
Princeton then used solid relief pitching from sophomore Brie Galicinao and senior captain Sarah Peterman to keep the Explorers at bay until Keefe could provide the fireworks in the bottom of the sixth.
In the Tigers' first Sunday game, however, no offensive hero could be found. Princeton managed only two hits in seven innings against UConn ace Barbara Cook, thus allowing a strong pitching performance by Peterman to go to waste. Although the Hus-kies (4-3) came away with only two singles against the Tiger hurler, they still recorded a 1-0 victory as a result of two Princeton fielding errors in the third inning.
In Saturday's games against Maryland and La Salle, the Tiger offense did not let the pitching staff down. In the day's second contest against the host Terrapins, Princeton fell behind by a score of 4-0 before plating four runs in the fourth and one in the sixth to take a 5-4 lead. Maryland replied with two runs in the bottom of the seventh, to take the 6-5 win.
The Tigers had started Saturday on a strong note, besting the Explorers by a score of 4-0. Peterman went the distance on the mound for Princeton — yielding only four hits and recording six strikeouts. Junior leftfielder Lori Vol-ker led the Tigers with a single, a double and two RBIs. Galicinao also belted her first collegiate home run in the victory.
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