Softball: Team victorious in 2 of 4 games on New England tour

The Tigers (13-17 overall, 4-4 Ivy League) struggled mightily in their first contest in Cambridge, Mass., managing just two hits in seven innings. Harvard (20-12, 6-2) struck quickly, taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning and scoring four more in the second to take a decisive lead.

The major difference in the second game was Princeton’s dominant defense. This defense was aided in no small part by a strong pitching effort from sophomore Alex Peyton, who held Harvard to six hits for the game.

Harvard scored in the first inning, and it looked like the hosts might pull away, but the Tigers quickly tightened their defense. Princeton was playing down a run from the first until the seventh inning, and the Crimson was on the verge of capturing another shutout victory.

Harvard pitcher Laura Ricciardone seemed primed to repeat the team’s effort from the earlier game and keep Princeton from scoring, but a series of singles finally put the Tigers on the board. The Crimson replaced Ricciardone with Rachel Brown, but she was unable to stem the tide of Princeton’s advance. Two consecutive doubles gave the Tigers two more runs and dealt the Crimson its first Ivy League loss of the season, 3-2.

The Dartmouth (11-14, 5-4) games the next day followed the same trend, with a close low-scoring victory following a high-scoring loss. Dartmouth scored its first run in the second inning before a homer from first baseman Kat Hicks in the fourth drove in three runs and gave the Big Green a 4-0 lead.

Dartmouth scored two more runs later in the inning to take a comfortable lead. The Tigers managed three hits at the top of the fifth but were unable to put any runs on the board. Princeton saved its best for last, though, scoring five runs in the sixth and four more in the seventh.

The Tigers had the bases loaded early in the sixth, and freshman shortstop Tory Roberts was the first to reach home on a fielding error. Four others on the squad followed, leaving the Tigers just one run behind.

Dartmouth netted a run in the bottom of the frame, but the Tigers scored four more in the seventh inning to take a two-run lead.

With two outs, Dartmouth’s outfielder Meghan Everett rose to the challenge. She stepped up to the plate and delivered a solid hit that allowed the runners on both second and third to reach home while she reached second on the throw. The next hit from outfielder Audrey Kolodziej was just enough for Everett to sprint home and score the game-winner for Dartmouth.

The second game was dominated by the defense and featured just one half-inning with more than a single hit. Peyton was dominant on the mound once again, holding Dartmouth to just four hits total.

Evan Gray had an equally impressive showing for the Big Green, but she was unable to completely contain the Tigers.

Princeton finally broke through in the top of the sixth when sophomore outfielder Lizzy Pierce scored the game’s only run after a single, a bunt from Roberts and another single from sophomore catcher Sarah Rounsifer.

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The Dartmouth squad made a spirited attempt to make up the deficit, but although Peyton walked two batters, it did not matter in the end.

Dartmouth did not score and the Tigers walked away with a solid 1-0 victory.

The Tigers have a home game this Tuesday against Hofstra before they resume their Ivy season with another pair of doubleheaders next weekend, both against Penn.