Princeton University Athletics
Welch, Snyder Homer to Lead Softball to 4-3 Win over Illinois
March 26, 2006 | Softball
March 26, 2006
Box Score
PALO ALTO, Calif. - Home runs ruled the day in the Princeton softball team's spring trip finale versus Illinois (11-15). Princeton's two four-baggers beat the Illini's one, leading the Tigers to a 4-3 win on Sunday at the Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif. Princeton ends the spring trip with an 9-5 record in California and 10-8 overall before the team's home-opening doubleheader Wednesday against Rutgers.
After winning only two of 21 games all-time against Big Ten teams entering the season, the Tigers went 3-0 versus schools from that conference this year with two wins over Illinois and one over Minnesota, all on the spring trip.
Rookie Kathryn Welch knocked a two-out home run over the left-field fence in the first inning for her second round-tripper of the season. She hit her first against Minnesota last weekend.
Princeton picked up another run in the top of the second. Three straight one-out singles loaded the bases, but a force-out at home left the Tigers one out from leaving the inning empty-handed. Senior Cristina Cobb-Adams made sure that didn't happen, lining a single through the left side that moved everyone up a station and gave Princeton a 2-0 lead. Illinois changed pitchers at that point with Kacey Coonce having been tagged for five hits and two runs in an inning and two-thirds with no walks and no strikeouts. Claire DeVreese, whom the Tigers beat on Friday, entered and got the next hitter to ground out, leaving the sacks Orange and Black.
But Illinois tied the game in the bottom of the second. With one out and runners on second and third after a walk and a single, Varner struck out Lana Armstrong and was ahead 1-2 on Kisten Martin before Martin drove a single through the left side, scoring both runners. An inning later, Jenna Hall homered to right-center and Illinois had a 3-2 lead. After giving up a single to the next batter, Coonce, Varner was lifted in favor of Kristen Schaus. Varner allowed five hits and three runs, all earned, with a walk and a strikeout in 2 1/3 innings. A 3-2 Tiger deficit became a 4-3 lead in the top of the fifth when Erin Snyder blasted a shot over the fence in left-center with two out and Stephanie Steel on after taking a pitch on the arm. It was only the third game in which Princeton has hit a home run and the second, after Minnesota last weekend, where the Tigers put two over the fence.
Illinois threatened in the bottom of the seventh with the tying and game-winning runs on first and second and one out as Schaus walked a pair of Illini hitters. But after a strikeout and flyout, all was redeemed and the Tigers sealed the win.
Schaus (5-4) struck out nine of the 16 batters she faced as the Illini got just two runners to second base in Schaus' 4 2/3 innings. The sophomore allowed only two hits, walking three. DeVreese (8-7) took the loss for the second time in as many meetings against the Tigers, allowing two runs, both earned, on three hits with two strikeouts and no walks in 5 1/3.
Wednesday's twinbill against the Scarlet Knights starts at 2 p.m. Princeton travels to Fairfield on Thursday before opening Ivy play Saturday in Philadelphia versus Penn.