Softball: Senior Ontiveros leads team through rough 10-game trip

Throughout Princeton’s spring break trip to Northern California, Ontiveros — who currently leads the team in hits, runs scored and on-base percentage — proved numerous times that she fits her role at the top of the batting order by coming up with big hits and leading things off for the Tigers.

“I try to have a really aggressive first-at-bat but also to show other people on the team what the pitcher is throwing,” Ontiveros said.

Despite these efforts, Princeton’s early season struggles continued, as the Tigers (3-16) came away with only one win on their 10-game road trip.

Princeton started things off at the Capital Classic in Sacramento. In their first game against Akron, Ontiveros helped the Tigers jump to an early two-run lead with a leadoff single in the first inning and a solo homer in the third. However, Akron quickly got on the board with two runs in the third inning and one in the fourth to seal the win for the Zips.

The Tigers did not let the one-run loss get to them, as they bounced back later in the day to defeat Colorado State 5-3. Junior Liza Kuhn pitched one of her best games of the season, recording 10 strikeouts and giving up only six hits for her first victory.

The Tigers were also strong at the plate, as freshman shortstop Alyssa Schmidt blasted her second home run of the season with a three-run shot in the third, putting Princeton up 3-2. Then, with the score tied at three apiece in the fifth, Ontiveros put the ball over the fence for her second of the day, a two-run blast that gave Princeton a 5-3 lead that it would keep for the rest of the game.

Schmidt may just be a rookie, but she has already proved to be big asset to the team. Just before spring break, she was named the Ivy League Player of the Week after batting a stellar .625 at the Maryland Round Robin tournament.

“I am really happy that she is batting behind me because I know she will do something to bat me over to score a run,” Ontiveros said of Schmidt.

After that victory, however, Princeton’s bats went dead, as the Tigers were only able to score one run over their next five games. Over this span, Princeton faced some tough competitors including No. 2 California, and it suffered tough 1-0 and 2-0 losses to St. Mary’s.

By the end of the road trip, the Tigers found more of an offensive rhythm, but they came up just short in the final three games, losing by one run each time.

Despite a tough week, the Tigers feel confident going into the start of Ivy League play, which begins this Friday when Dartmouth visits Class of 1895 Field.

That doubleheader starts a six-game home stand for the Tigers, as they will also take on Harvard in a pair of games on Saturday and Seton Hall in another twinbill on Tuesday.