Princeton University Athletics
Snyder Two-Hits Illinois as Princeton Softball Snaps Three-Game Skid
March 24, 2006 | Softball
March 24, 2006
Box Score
PALO ALTO, Calif. - Say goodbye to the three-game skid. At least against Illinois (9-13) on Friday afternoon, the Princeton softball team (8-6) cured whatever alied it during a loss at St. Mary's and a doubleheader sweep at Sacramento State earlier in the week, claiming a 2-0 victory over the Illini at the Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif. Erin Snyder (4-2) authored a two-hit shutout, facing one over the minimum while striking out nine.
The Tigers moved to 2-0 versus Big Ten teams this season after beating Minnesota last Friday in Sacramento. It is the first time Princeton has topped two Big Ten teams in the same year and only the fourth win overall over a school from that conference.
Princeton took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, thanks in part to a throwing error by Illinois first baseman Jenna Hall. With Amanda Erickson on first after a leadoff walk, Snyder's sacrifice bunt appeared to Hall to be rolling foul. But the ball stopped square on top of the chalk line and by the time Hall saw it wouldn't roll foul, she fired a quick throw to first that went under the glove of the Illini second baseman, Courtney Hoogeven, covering at first and into right field. That set up Calli Jo Varner's RBI groundout that scored Erickson, who made third on the error. But another odd play stopped Princeton from scoring more. With two out and runners on second and third, Brianna Moreno hit a ball that dropped right in front of the plate. The problem was her bat dropped there too, striking the ball and getting Moreno called out for interference, ending the inning. The second Tiger run came in the third inning. Stephanie Steel hit a one-out single and moved around to third base on the next two plays before Snyder knocked her in with another base hit for a 2-0 lead.
Snyder struck out the first four batters she faces and retired Illinois' first seven hitters before Molly Lawhead beat out an infield single with one out in the third inning. After that base runner, Snyder moved right along, sitting Illinois' next 11 batters before Hall dropped a one-out single into centerfield in the seventh inning.
Claire DeVreese (7-5) threw all six innings for Illinois, giving up six hits and earning both Princeton runs while walking two and striking out two. Offensively for the Tigers, Steel was 2 for 3.
Princeton faces UC Davis at 5 p.m. Pacific Time on Friday in its second game of the Stanford Invitational.