Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Villanova (Game 1)
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Villanova Sweeps Softball Doubleheader at Princeton
April 19, 2007 | Softball
PRINCETON, N.J. -- Villanova took a pair of close games over the Princeton softball team Thursday at Class of 1895 Field, winning 6-5 in nine innings in the opener and 5-3 in six innings in the nightcap.
The Tigers will host Penn in an important four-game series Saturday and Sunday with both games starting at 1 p.m. Princeton is two games behind Penn in the Ivy South standings and must win at least two of the four contests to stay alive in the postseason chase.
Game 1: Villanova 5, Princeton 3 (9 inn.)
Villanova took advantage of the international tiebreaker rule where the Tigers couldn't in the ninth inning, allowing the Wildcats to take a 6-5 victory in the opener.
Villanova's Meghan Morese broke the scoreless tie with a one-out two-run home run in the fourth inning, bringing home a single from Cassie Koening for a 2-0 Wildcat lead. But in a game that refused to remain tied for long, Princeton took advantage of some defensive miscues to square it at 2-2.
Kelsey Quist reached on a two-out error at third base, and Jackie Araneo doubled to put two runners in scoring position for Samantha O'Hara, who brought both of them home with a single to right-center.
A two-out home run by Sheri Donley put Villanova ahead 3-2 in the fifth, but the Tigers took a one-run lead in the bottom half of the inning. With the bases loaded and one out after two singles and a walk, Erin Miller brought home the tying run with a single and Quist picked up a sacrifice fly RBI, giving Princeton a 4-3 lead.
But after Danielle Maricle's single scored Koenig's single in the top of the sixth, the game was tied again and would remain tied until the extra frames.
With a runner starting on second base because of the tiebreaker rule, back-to-back singles by Jess O'Boyle and Koenig put Villanova ahead 5-4 in the top of the eighth. Princeton got the run back in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice and wild pitch, and the game proceeded to the ninth.
A Kayla Felty double brought home the runner from second in the top of the ninth to give Villanova the 6-5 lead, but Princeton had the equalizer at third base with none out in its half of the ninth. But after a strikeout, a quick pop-up caught the runner off third base, and the double play ended the game.
Princeton starter Kristen Schaus (8-11) gave up 10 hits and struck out nine in nine innings, earning only four of the six runs because of the tiebreaker rule.
Villanova's Kat Walsh (5-4) threw the first eight innings, giving up 10 hits with two walks and seven strikeouts, earning two of the five runs. Laura Determan got the save, striking out one in the ninth.
Game 2: Villanova 5, Princeton 3 (6 inn.)
After the first game went long, Villanova scored five runs over the first three frames to end a 5-3 darkness-shortened game in six innings.
Three singles, the last by Danielle Maricle, scored two runs for the Wildcats as Villanova took a 2-0 lead after one inning. Two home runs, one by Maggie Seidel in the second and a two-run shot by Cassie Koenig in the third, gave Villanova the 5-0 advantage.
Princeton chipped three runs off the lead after a hit batter and a double when Kelsey Quist unleashed a one-out, three run blast to bring Princeton within 5-3.
But the Tigers left runners at second base in the fifth and six innings as Villanova starter Laura Determan held on for the win.
Determan (11-9) struck out seven and allowed seven hits and two walks, earning the three runs in the six-inning win.
For Princeton, Jamie Lettire (7-6) took the loss, earning four of the five runs in two innings pitched. She struck out one and gave up six hits. Calli Jo Varner gave up two hits and a walk in four innings, striking out two.