Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Yale (Game 1)
Just Perfect: Snyder Shuts Down Yale as Princeton Softball Earns Sweep
April 09, 2006 | Softball
April 9, 2006
Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box
PRINCETON, N.J. - It's hard to think how Sunday afternoon could have been much better for the Princeton softball team (18-9, 4-0 Ivy). Erin Snyder (9-3) threw a perfect game in the opener, the fourth of her career. Meanwhile, the Tigers pounded out 19 hits in a 16-0, five-inning thrashing of the Yale Bulldogs (21-13, 0-2). In the nightcap, Kristen Schaus (8-5) turned in a fine performance of her own, four-hitting the Bulldogs in an 8-1 win. In all, the Tigers scored 24 runs on 32 hits with six home runs in 10 team at-bats. Snyder and Schaus combined to strike out 25 batters in 12 innings.
Cristina Cobb-Adams and Samantha O'Hara were 5 for 6 on the day while three other Tigers had four hits and 10 players had at least one hit. Calli Jo Varner had five RBI on the day and eight players batted multiple runs in.
GAME ONE
An idea of how the afternoon would go for the Bulldogs came with Princeton's first batter, Cobb-Adams. The senior shortstop reached when Yale left-fielder Courtney Blachford was under Cobb-Adams' fly ball but saw it bounce from the pocket of her glove while the Tiger batter strolled into second. Kathryn Welch brought Cobb-Adams home with a single, and two batters later, Amanda Erickson made it 4-0 by dropping her second home run of the season over the wall in left-center. Cobb-Adams didn't need the help of a defensive miscue in the second inning, knocking her first round-tripper of the year to left-center and Princeton was up 5-0. Stephanie Steel followed it with a double and Snyder singled down the left field line to get Steel home and give the Tigers a 6-0 lead. Varner lined one up the middle, scoring Welch and chasing Yale starter Peggy Hunt (6-3) from the game with two out in the inning. Hunt was charged with seven of Princeton's first eight runs, allowing seven hits and a walk, striking out two in 1 2/3 innings.
But the pitching change didn't stop the Tigers. Deanna DiBernardi allowed seven runs on seven hits with two walks, all without getting an out. By the time she was relieved, Princeton was up 15-0. Rebecca Wojciak came in and struck out her first batter, ending the inning. In the frame, Princeton scored 11 runs on 10 hits, sending 16 batters to the plate. Steel, a junior, enjoyed her first-career home run during the stanza.
Wojciak finished the game, allowing a run on five hits with four strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings as Princeton picked up its last run in the fourth.
It was the most runs Princeton scored and the largest margin of victory since head coach Maureen Barron was wearing the uniform. In 1996, the Tigers topped the Big Green 16-0. The first eight batters in the Princeton order had multi-hit games with Erickson and O'Hara notching three hits apiece. Erickson and Steel were the RBI leaders, getting three each.
And while Princeton was pounding the Yale pitching staff, Snyder rolled through the Bulldog order. She struck out the side three times, fanning 11 batters and needing just four groundouts. And while the outfielders never had to record an out, Cobb-Adams made a spectacular diving catch in shallow left field on a ball that was sure to drop in to lead off the second inning.
GAME TWO
Cobb-Adams blasted her second home run of the day to lead off the game. A single and two hit batters later, Varner dropped a single inside the left-field line and Princeton had a 3-0 lead after an inning. Varner added two more in the third with her second home run of the year and O'Hara made it back-to-back four-baggers, hitting her first-career home run for a 6-0 lead.
Ashley Linnenbank (4-4) left after O'Hara's home run, giving up six runs on six hits with a walk and a strikeout in 2 2/3 innings. Wojciak entered the game and threw the last 3 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits with a walk and two strikeouts.
The Bulldogs got their first hit of the day to lead off the fourth inning when Kyli Hanson lined a single to right. Schaus had fanned eight of the nine batters she faced to that point and got right back on track, sitting the next three batters to end the inning.
With the Tigers two outs from finishing the Bulldogs in a run-rule five innings, Megan Enyeart extended the game with a home run before Schaus fanned the next two batters to end the frame. Schaus finished with a season-high 14 strikeouts and a walk.
Cobb-Adams was 3 for 3 in game two while four other players had two hits. Varner had four RBI.
The Tigers will play on a Monday for the first time this year, albeit an unscheduled appearance, when Princeton hosts Brown at 1 p.m. in a make-up game due to Saturday's rainout.