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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
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Princeton Softball Splits with Indiana and Buffalo in Tampa
March 17, 2007 | Softball
TAMPA, Fla. -- The Princeton softball team split its final two games in pool play at the University of South Florida's Speedline Invitational Saturday, falling to Indiana 10-1 in six innings before rebounding against Buffalo, 7-2.
The Tigers finished third in Pool B with a 1-2 record at the USF tournament. On the season, Princeton kept its record even at 6-6.
Princeton will now enter a four-team single-elimination bracket with the other third-seeded teams, including Long Island, Florida International and Ball State. The Tigers will begin with LIU at 9 a.m. Sunday. With a win, Princeton would play the winner of the FIU/Ball State game at 11 a.m.
Indiana 10, Princeton 1 (6 inn.)
In the opener against Indiana, the Tigers fell behind 3-0 after one inning and 7-0 after three before the Hoosiers (12-9) ended it early in the sixth inning.
Calli Jo Varner (2-2) started in the circle for Princeton and suffered through a first inning that saw the Hoosiers send all nine batters to the plate, draw three walks, get a hit and have another one reach on an error. Indiana's Emily Bergeson, who had the lone single on the inning, picked up an RBI, as did Janetta Deaver and Julie DiNallo, who each drew bases-loaded walks.
Following a quiet second inning, Indiana more than doubled its lead in the third, getting a leadoff home run from Tory Yamaguchi and a three-run home run later in the inning from Kim Richards as she cashed in runners who reached on a hit batter and a walk.
Varner left after the third inning, earning four of Indiana's seven runs to that point, walking five and striking out four with four hits.
Kristen Schaus entered and worked the last 2 1/3 innings, sailing along smoothly before allowing back-to-back one-out singles in the sixth and a three-run home run to Jennilee Huddleston that invoked the run-rule and ended the game. She struck out five on three hits without a walk.
The Tiger offense had just two hits and two walks through the first five innings, getting runners to second base twice, but no further. Princeton broke through in the sixth inning when Brianna Moreno led off with a bunt single and scored from second base four batters later when Kathryn Welch lined a single into leftfield.
Indiana's Monica Wright (8-6) allowed four hits and earned the Tiger run, walking two and striking out two in the six-inning win.
Princeton 7, Buffalo 2
Freshman Jamie Lettire (2-0) earned the win in her first start after three relief appearances beginning last weekend in Maryland. Lettire fanned 11 while allowing five hits and a walk. Both of Buffalo's runs came from solo home runs by Lacy Schneider, who was 3 for 3.
While the win was Princeton's first at the USF tournament, the loss dropped Buffalo to 2-19 on the year as the Tigers benefitted from seven errors by the Bulls in addition to the 10 Tiger hits.
Princeton went ahead 3-0 following a second inning that featured three singles, a walk and the second Buffalo error. Steel had the big hit of the inning, a two-RBI liner through the right side that drove home the last two runs of the frame.
Schneider's first home run came in the bottom of the inning and her second home run came in the fourth to cut Princeton's lead to 3-2. But that was as close as the Bulls got as only two runners, other than Schneider, got into scoring position on the afternoon.
Princeton opened the lead to 7-2 in the top of the sixth, sending eight batters to the plate as four came away with singles and another reached on a walk. Steel, Kathryn Welch and Erin Miller each batted runs home in the inning.
Though Buffalo used a trio of pitchers, starter Margo Schramm (0-6) was tagged with the loss after allowing the three runs in the second inning. With the Buffalo errors, five of Princeton's seven runs were earned.
Eight Tigers split the 10 hits as Welch and Miller each had two.