Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Saint Joseph's (Game 1)
Softball Sweeps Saint Joseph's to Continue Pre-NCAA Stretch
April 30, 2006 | Softball
April 30, 2006
Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box
EAST NORRITON, Pa. - The Princeton pitching staff combined to take a doubleheader shutout of Saint Joseph's (13-36-1) into the seventh inning of game two Sunday at East Norriton Field outside Philadelphia. Princeton (31-16) used all three pitchers during the day as the trio combined to allow just seven hits and strike out 30 batters in 6-0 and 5-1 victories. With the game-one win, the Tigers reached the 30-win plateau for the 13th time in their history, all in the last 22 seasons.
GAME ONE
After stranding runners in scoring position in each of the first two innings, the Tigers converted in the third. Stephanie Steel led off with a single and Kathryn Welch doubled her home two batters later. After an Amanda Erickson single that brought Welch to third, Erin Snyder lifted a fly ball to center and Welch scored ahead of the throw for a 2-0 lead.
Princeton pushed three more across in the fourth. With runners on first and second and none out, Samantha O'Hara laid down a bunt and Saint Joseph's first baseman Sue Lebow overthrew the base, allowing one run to score. Steel followed with an RBI single for a 4-0 lead. Three batters later, a ball-four pitch to Erickson sailed to the backstop and O'Hara scored on the wild pitch for Princeton's fifth run. Snyder (15-5) lost her perfect game and broke a five-batter strikeout string by allowing a pair of singles to start the bottom of the fourth. But the hits were no matter for Snyder, who got the next three batters swinging to end the threat. She went on to get the Hawks in order in the fifth and the sixth to finish with 14 strikeouts in six innings of work without a walk, allowing just the two hits.
The Tigers added one more in the fifth after a two-out walk and an RBI double by O'Hara to take a 6-0 advantage. Steel was the only player with a multi-hit game in the opener for either team, going 2 for 4.
Hawk starter Lauren Hughes (3-12) allowed eight hits and earned three of Princeton's six runs with three walks and five strikeouts. Calli Jo Varner finished game one in the circle for Princeton, walking one with three strikeouts.
GAME TWO
Princeton again got an early jump on the Hawks in the nightcap. Steel led off the game with a single and two batters later, Erickson had another sacrifice fly-RBI. Two more came across in the second as Dalmut and Araneo led off the inning with singles and Steel brought them both home with a double for a 3-0 lead.
The lead became 4-0 in the sixth when Varner lifted a two-strike, two-out double to right-center that scored Beth Dalmut from first. A walk and a hit batter later, the bases were loaded and Cristina Cobb-Adams walked to force in a run and put Princeton ahead 5-0.
Kristen Schaus (15-8) worked five innings, allowing three hits and a walk with 10 strikeouts. Varner came on for the last two innings, allowing two hits and a walk while striking out three. Saint Joseph's run was unearned.
Offensively, Steel, Varner and Dalmut all had two hits in the second game. Steel, who had her day capped off with a pitch to the helmet but was unhurt, was 4 for 7 with three RBI on the doubleheader.
For the Hawks, Lauren Cognigni (9-12) allowed seven hits, walking three and striking out two while earning two of Princeton's five runs.
The Tigers close the regular season next Saturday at Rider for a 1 p.m. doubleheader. Princeton will learn of its destination for the NCAA Regionals, which begin May 18, two weeks from today on ESPNews.