Softball: Tigers hope to rebound

Junior outfielder and leadoff hitter Nicole Ontiveros, sophomore shortstop Nikki Chu and sophomore pitcher Alex Peyton are all healthy this year, and senior pitcher Michelle Tolfa is back on the roster after taking a year off. On top of that, three freshmen — infielder Tory Roberts, outfielder Austin Sanders and catcher Maddie Cousens — are all likely to be strong contributors to the team, making Princeton’s roster much more complete than it was last year.

Remaining injury-free while bringing maximum effort to every game will be a serious part of Princeton’s recipe for success this year. The Tigers will face another intense schedule this year, and the team will play at least 20 doubleheaders, leaving players at risk of injuries once again.

Princeton’s lineup will have to deal with the loss of its two top sluggers to graduation. Jamie Lettire ’10 and Kelsey Quist ’10 finished their careers atop the program record book with 38 and 37 home runs, respectively. The duo combined for 20 of the team’s 34 home runs in 2010.

A large group of sophomores look to improve on their rookie season with a full year of experience under their belts. Catcher Sarah Rounsifer leads the class after a successful freshman campaign in which she hit .303 with four homers, while second baseman Candace Button started 40 games and hit .239.

Ontiveros missed three weeks of the season due to injury but hit .288 when in the lineup.

A pair of second-year players will also spend time on the mound this season. Sophomore Liza Kuhn started a team-high 20 games and finished more than half of them, while Peyton posted a team-best 3.16 ERA in 51 innings. They will be asked to shoulder a larger load with the graduation of Lettire, who led the team in innings pitched.

The Tigers won the Ivy League title just three years ago, but an early 11-game losing streak that stretched into the beginning of conference play was a sign that 2010 would not be their year. Princeton went 12-32 overall last season and 6-14 in the Ivy League.

Unlike last season, the team will play many of its nonconference games at home this year. The Tigers will also not be making a trip to the West Coast for competition this season as they have in each of the past four years.

“We have many more home games this season than away games,” Cousens said. “Not needing to travel as much should be a big advantage.”

Although the Tigers’ travel plans have changed somewhat since last season, the teams to beat in the Ivy League have not, explained Chu.

“Harvard and Cornell will be probably be the toughest in the Ivy League this year,” Chu said. “They definitely gave us the most trouble last year.”

Cornell, which features two-time Ivy League Pitcher of the Year Elizabeth Dalrymple, finished 20-4 in league play last year and defeated Harvard in a three-game series for the league championship. The Crimson went 18-5, sweeping a doubleheader at Princeton to open the season.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

The Tigers finished third in the South Division, edging out Columbia to avoid the basement but ending up 12 games behind the Big Red.

Cold and snowy weather has forced the team to practice inside throughout the winter season, but the team is excited to play outside and begin the spring season.

“We haven’t seen dirt yet this season because we’ve been playing inside,” Cousens said. “But I’m looking forward to putting it all together and seeing how we compete this season.”

“The ultimate goal is to win Ivies and bring the team up from last year’s season,” Chu added.

The tragic loss of freshman Khristin Kyllo, who died of natural causes in her dorm room on Jan. 13, will be felt throughout the whole season and in the years to come. The team will be wearing patches bearing her name, and her initials will appear on each batting helmet.

“She had so much spunk when she played, and all she ever wanted to do was win,” Cousens said. “We’re going to go out trying to embody her fierceness on the field.”

The softball team will begin play on Friday, in Catonsville, Md., at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County Tournament, opening against Siena College. The Tigers’ Ivy League season starts on April 1 with a doubleheader against Brown at Class of 1895 Field.