Princeton University Athletics
New Era of Tiger Softball Begins With Two Victories
March 04, 2001 | Softball
March 4, 2001
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Princeton's softball team opened the season with two wins at the Terrapin Invitational Tournament. In the first game, Princeton defeated the Stags of Fairfield 1-0 after scoring in the eighth inning tie-breaker. The Tigers faced LaSalle later in the morning and earned a 12-3 victory.
Princeton softball has entered a new era. Three new coaches, lead by Princeton softball legend Maureen Davies takes over an experience crew of players including 15 returning letter winners. Davies is backed by two new faces to collegiate coaching, Jen Sewell and John Rooney. This combination of new, energetic coaches and seasoned, experienced players has worked both in practice as well as out on the field. The results from the Terrapin Invitational tells the story.
In the first game of the season, Princeton's pitcher Brianne Galicinao had a slingers dual with Fairfield's Erica Bell. After seven innings, neither pitcher allowed a run to cross the plate. Galicinao threw ten strike outs and gave up only four hits. Bell struck out four Princeton batters and gave up six hits. Princeton had a chance to open up the game, in the second inning when senior, Devon Keefe began a hitting rally that loaded the bases with no outs. Princeton's opportunity was whittled away after several infield ground balls forced the play to home plate, and allowed the Stags to escape a potential dangerous situation. For the remainder of the game, the two teams traded hits, but neither team was able mount much of an offensive threat. The game was forced into an eighth inning tie-breaker in which a player is placed on second base before any batter steps to the plate. Rules say that the player called out last at the end of the seventh inning is the player who is placed at second to begin the tiebreaker.
Princeton, playing as the home team in this tournament game, pitched to Fairfield to open up the tie-breaking eighth inning. The Tigers escaped the tiebreaker without giving up a hit. In the bottom of the eighth, Princeton's Mackenzie Forsythe was placed at second for Princeton. On the first pitch, Forsythe stole third. Princeton's pitcher, Galicinao stepped to the plate and hit a single to drive Forsythe home. Galicinao picked up the game winning RBI, at the same time, she became the game-winning pitcher.
Princeton easily defeated LaSalle in the second game for the Tigers this season, 12-3. Princeton's shortstop Kim Veenstra had huge game hitting a fourth inning homerun and driving two more with a double late in the game. Center fielder, Lori Volker had a great defensive day in center field, putting out 6 players and making a spectacular sliding/diving catch.
Freshman Wnedy Bingham made her debut Saturday starting in left field both games as the DP. She was ready to relieve pitchers Galicinao or White, who earned the win against LaSalle.
Princeton was scheduled to face Fairfield and Towson today at the Terrapin Invitational, but due to inclement whether, both games were cancelled.
vs. FAIRFIELD Score by Innings R H E ------------------------------------------ Fairfield........... 000 000 00 - 0 4 2 Princeton........... 000 000 01 - 1 6 0 ------------------------------------------ Note: None out, 1 runner LOB when the game ended. E - Ellis, Kennedy. DP - Stags 1. LOB - Stags 6, Tigers 7. 2B - Zimmerman, Rodriguez. SB - Ellis, Forsythe `. Fairfield IP H R ER BB SO AB BF ----------------------------------------------- Erica Bell.......... 7.0 6 0 0 0 4 28 28 Team................ 0.0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Princeton IP H R ER BB SO AB BF ----------------------------------------------- Brianne Galiciano... 8.0 4 0 0 1 10 28 29 Team................ 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Win - Galiciano (1-0). Loss - Bell (). Save - None.
vs. LASALLE Score by Innings R H E ----------------------------------------- Princeton........... 000 361 2 - 12 12 1 LaSalle............. 002 010 0 - 3 8 5 ----------------------------------------- E - Veenstra, Eastmond, Clark, Schneider, Carlucci 2. LOB - Tigers 10, Explorers 9. 2B - Poniatowski, Veenstra, Gaydos, White, Clark. HR - Veenstra. HBP - Volker. SH - Bingham, Carlucci, Murphy. SF - Bingham, White, Siesta. SB - Bingham. Princeton IP H R ER BB SO AB BF ----------------------------------------------- Sara Jane White..... 7.0 8 3 1 2 4 29 33
LaSalle IP H R ER BB SO AB BF ----------------------------------------------- Ali Wood............ 4.0 8 6 6 1 2 19 23 Missy Rorke......... 3.0 4 6 4 5 2 13 20 Win - White (1-0). Loss - Wood (0-1). Save - None.