Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
UC Davis (Stanford Invitational)
Schaus Pitches Princeton Softball to 3-1 Win over UC Davis
March 24, 2006 | Softball
March 24, 2006
Box Score
PALO ALTO, Calif. - Just as Erin Snyder did earlier in the day with her two-hit shutout of Illinois, Kristen Schaus (4-3) helped shake the memory of Princeton's recent three-game funk with a five-hit, 11-strikeout performance against UC Davis (8-15), 3-1, at the Stanford Invitational on Friday evening. The Tiger softballers (9-6) moved to 7-3 on the spring trip with three games left to play in Palo Alto.
While Schaus set down the Aggie batters in order through the first two innings, Davis starter Christina Grimm (1-4) matched her effort, retiring the first seven Princeton hitters she faced. But after a one-out walk to Larkin Brogan in the third, Brianna Moreno reached on a fielder's-choice grounder to short and Brogan beat the throw into second base. A wild pitch moved the two to second and third during the next at-bat and that hitter, Cristina Cobb-Adams, saved making an unproductive out when Davis third baseman Marci Hill dropped Cobb-Adams' infield popup. Princeton then had the bases loaded and one out, but a force at home and a pop-up limited the Tigers to one run. Kathryn Welch dropped a ball in between two Davis infielders, allowing Moreno to hustle in from third for a 1-0 lead. Like with Grimm, a one-out walk in the third inning ended Schaus' perfect start as well. But unlike her Aggie counterpart, Schaus got right back on track, retiring the next seven batters before Grimm broke up the no-hit bid when her single fell into right field two outs into the fifth. Welch almost recorded an outfield assist on the play to keep the no-hitter going, but Schaus' counterpart beat the throw by just enough for those in attendance to do a double-take. She got the next batter to fly out, ending the inning.
After Brogan led off the top of the fifth with a single over second base and took third on a sacrifice and a wild pitch, Cobb-Adams cashed her in with a single beyond the outstretched glove of Aggie second baseman Jodie Valley for a 2-0 lead.
Pinch-hitter Deanna Menapace led off the sixth with a single for Davis and moved to third when Schaus' throw on the sacrifice bunt attempt by the next batter, Megan De La Hoya, eluded Lindsay Motal's glove at first. Julie Stauder followed with an RBI single that halved Princeton's lead, and runners were at first and second with none out and the Tigers now with a one-run advantage, but a foul pop and two strikeouts ended the threat.
Princeton picked up an insurance run in the top of the seventh, converting Moreno's one-out single with a stolen base, a ground out and a wild pitch to give Princeton a 3-1 lead. Davis threatened in the seventh with a pair of singles, but no Aggie got past second base in the inning.
Grimm left after six innings, giving up four hits and one walk, earning one of Princeton's two runs while fanning two Tiger batters. She gave way to Lauren Pieretti for the seventh, who allowed a hit and an earned run, striking out one without a walk.
The Tigers will have the coffee percolating this weekend with two 9 a.m. PT starts. Tomorrow morning's game features Princeton and Santa Clara while the Tigers return to the Smith Family Stadium for a 3 p.m. first pitch against No. 5 Stanford.