This weekend, under cloudy skies in Orlando, Fla., Princeton softball (5–4 overall, 0–0 Ivy League) competed against four teams in the University of Central Florida (UCF) Knights Classic. The Tigers won their first game, but failed to keep that momentum going and lost their next four games.
The Tigers kicked off the tournament with a victory against the Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats (1–16, 0–0 Southwestern Athletic Conference). This win brought the Tigers to a 5–0 start for the first time in program history.
The game started slow, as Tigers were left without a run at the end of the first inning. The Tigers got on the board in the second inning when junior first baseman Sophia Marsalo hit a single that sent first-year third baseman and designated hitter Sonia Zhang across home plate.
Junior left fielder Allison Ha started the third inning off strong with a double. Ha ran home two batters later and her run was followed by another from Zhang.
Ha is a senior Sports writer for the ‘Prince.’
The Wildcats added runs in the fourth and fifth innings to stay afloat in the game. Their efforts proved to be in vain, however, when sophomore second baseman Abby Hornberger slapped a base hit, driving first-year second baseman Graciela Dominguez and Marsalo home and securing a 5–2 win for Princeton.
Unfortunately, the Tigers next game against the University of Central Florida (11–7, 0–0 Big 12) had a different outcome. By the fifth inning, the Knights had run out to a staggering 9–0 lead. The Tigers tried to gain traction when doubles from Dominguez and Marsalo got the former home and the latter on base. Marsalo was then hit home by a single from senior shortstop Grace Jackson.
The Tigers were only able to earn those two runs, and the game ended early due to softball’s mercy rule when UCF scored in the bottom of the fifth, bringing the final score to 10–2. The loss ended Princeton’s five-game win streak.
“UCF is obviously a much tougher opponent than the teams we faced for the first five games,” Ha told The Daily Princetonian. “I think it was good we were able to play UCF, especially early on in the year, so we can learn from playing a tougher competitor and take that into the Ivy League season.”
The Tigers faced Kennesaw State University (6–14, 0–0 Atlantic Sun Conference) and UCF again the next day.
Kennesaw State University (KSU) scored a run in the top of the first but the Tigers quickly countered with a run of their own. Sophomore catcher Julia Dumais and junior center fielder Lauren Sablone hit back-to-back doubles, putting Princeton on the board — but this ended up being their only run of the game.
KSU added to their score with one run in the third, two in the fourth, and another in the seventh, handing Princeton a 5–2 loss. Despite their loss, the Tigers surrendered significantly fewer runs than in their match-up against UCF the previous day. First-year pitcher Cassidy Shaw pitched just over three innings during the game against KSU.
“I think just prioritizing a lot of spin and break to try and keep the hitters on their toes all the time,” Shaw told the ‘Prince’ about her strategy on the mound.
After the Tigers’ loss to KSU, they faced UCF again. The game started in Princeton’s favor as they sprinted to a 3–0 lead in the top of the first. The Tigers benefitted from three straight hits by Sablone, Ha, and first-year right fielder Karis Ford. Both Sablone and Ha made it home, and senior Cate Bade pinch-ran for Ford, making it home in her place.
However, UCF quickly knocked in two runs in the bottom of the first, leaving Princeton with the lead heading into the second inning. The Tigers failed to send anyone home for the rest of the game while UCF managed a three-run second inning and a six-run fourth. The game ended after the fifth with a final score of 11–3, handing the Tigers their third loss of the tournament and their second loss to the mercy rule.
For their last game of the weekend, the Tigers faced the No. 22-ranked University of South Carolina (18–2, 0–0 Southeastern Conference). The Gamecocks scored four runs over Princeton in the first five innings, giving them a strong lead. The Tigers got on the board in the sixth inning when Dumais stole second after being walked and was eventually hit home by Sablone. Neither team scored after that, and the game ended as a 4–1 loss for Princeton.
The Tigers are hoping for a different outcome as they head to California this weekend to compete in the Fullerton-Long Beach tournament and more non-conference matchups.
Dalynn Holtzclaw is a Sports contributor for the ‘Prince.’
Please direct any corrections requests to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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