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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Florida (Game 1)
Players Mentioned
Florida Sweeps Doubleheader from Princeton Softball
March 22, 2007 | Softball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The Princeton softball team dropped a pair to Florida, ranked No. 22 in the latest NFCA coaches' poll, in Gainesville Wednesday afternoon, 1-0 and 9-0.
The sweep drops Princeton to 9-11 on the year, while Florida improves to 24-14.
Game 1: Florida 1, Princeton 0
A first-inning home run by Florida's Lauren Roussell was the difference as the Gators took the opener, 1-0. It was her third home run of the season.
Roussell took a one-out, 3-2 pitch just over the centerfield fence for Florida's run, and the Gators got only two runners in scoring position after that point.
Princeton's starter, Floridian Kristen Schaus (4-7), allowed four hits and two walks, striking out two.
But Florida pitcher Stacey Nelson (14-7), the Gators' ace, allowed only two hits and three walks while striking out eight.
Princeton got a runner into scoring position in the fifth and sixth innings but was unable to convert. In the fifth, Calli Jo Varner led off with a single and Kelsey Quist sacrificed her to second, but Nelson responded with two strikeouts to end the threat.
In the sixth, Jackie Araneo led off with a walk and Stephanie Steel moved her to second on a sacrifice, but two strikeouts sandwiched around a walk to Collette Abbott kept the Tigers empty-handed.
Game 2: Florida 9, Princeton 0 (5 inn.)
Princeton had an auspicious start when Stephanie Steel and Brianna Moreno both dropped singles to start the first inning, but a foul pop and two strikeouts kept the Tigers from converting.
The missed opportunity cost Princeton in the bottom of the first when Florida scored a pair of runs. The Gators' Kim Waleszonia dropped a double into leftfield to start the inning, and two batters later, Ali Gardiner scored her on a groundout. Lacy Howard followed Gardiner with a home run, her fourth of the season, and the Gators were ahead 2-0.
Florida added five runs in the second inning as the Gators sent all nine batters to the plate. Waleszonia and Howard had two-run doubles while Gardiner accounted for another RBI.
Varner (3-3) started the game in the circle for Princeton and left with one out in the second, allowing six hits and a pair of walks while earning all seven runs.
Jamie Lettire entered and quieted the Gators for the remainder of the second, retiring Florida in order in the third and giving up a single in the fourth before the game-ending fifth inning. Lettire finished with two runs allowed on three hits without a walk, striking out two.
Melissa Zick led off the inning with a single and Mary Ratliff followed with a home run to rightfield, her first of the year, invoking the run rule by putting Florida up 9-0 in the fifth.
Florida starter Stacey Stevens (10-7) settled in after the pair of leadoff hits, retiring 15 straight Tigers through the end of the contest. She struck out six without a walk.
The Tigers will begin their final weekend of spring break at a five-team invitational at Stetson University involving Lipscomb, Kent State and Cornell along with Princeton and the host Hatters, though Princeton and Cornell will wait until the Ivy season to face off. Princeton will play two tomorrow with Kent State at 9 a.m. and Lipscomb at 2 p.m.