Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Lehigh
Finley Sets Princeton Record As Softball Splits With Lehigh
May 06, 2003 | Softball
May 6, 2003
Box Score
PRINCETON, N.J. - Melissa Finley hit the game-winning home run in the bottom of the seventh to help the Tigers defeat Lehigh, 4-3, in the first game of a doubleheader, and become the all-time leader in home runs in a season at Princeton. Finley, who went 2 for 4 with one run and an RBI in the first game, now has 13 homers this season. The Tigers then dropped the second game, 5-1, to finish the season 2-2 against the Mountain Hawks.
In Game 1, Princeton scored all four runs on three homers, one each by Finley, Erin Valocsik, and Kristin DelCalvo.
Lehigh scored in its first at-bat beginning when Erin Snyder walked Xochitl Mota. Stephanie Digneo singled to right field but advanced to third and sent Mota home on an error by Nicole Davida in right field. Digneo scored the second run when Jenny Bender popped a sacrifice fly to left field. Princeton tied the score and then quickly took the lead in the fourth with Valocsik's solo and DelCalvo's two-run homer. Princeton led 3-2 after four.
Lehigh responded in the sixth when second baseman Jessica Young reached on a fielder's choice and catcher Mary Wieder tripled to right field to bring her home. But the Tigers had Finley, who stepped to the plate with two outs and ripped a solo homer out of left centerfield, ending the game with a 4-3 win for Princeton.
Snyder finished the game with six strikeouts and allowed just four hits in seven innings.
In the second game, both teams were scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when Finley reached on an error by the pitcher and Del Calvo drove her home with a double to leftfield.
The Tigers held their lead until the sixth when Wendy Bingham walked Digneo and gave up a hit to Bender. An error by Lueke at first base let Young reach first, advance to second, and score Digneo. Weider and third baseman Kelly Kliewer both grounded out but helped Bender score, giving the Mountain Hawks a 2-1 lead heading into the final inning.
Lehigh sealed the win in the top of the seventh when Shana Treon singled to right field and Digneo brought her home with a double to centerfield. Bender then smashed a two-run homer out of right field, increasing Lehigh's lead to 5-1 at the end of its last inning at-bat.
Ty Ries and Valocsik hit back-to-back singles with two outs in the bottom of the seventh but Bender struck out the last batter to end the game, 5-1, with two Tigers stranded on base.
Princeton finishes its regular season with a 24-19-1 overall record and a 11-3 mark in the Ivy League. They received an automatic bid to the NCAAs, which will announce the bracket this Sunday, May 11, at 10 p.m. on ESPN NEWS.