Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Penn (Game 1)
Players Mentioned
Softball Splits with Penn as Focus Shifts to Sunday
April 21, 2007 | Softball
PRINCETON, N.J. -- Following an up-and-down day of softball at Class of 1895 Field, the Tigers are still in control of their postseason possibilities. After Penn piled on late in an 11-1 loss, Princeton rebounded to win game two, 6-3.
Princeton remained two games behind Penn in the Ivy South standings. Cornell swept Columbia to move to one game behind Penn.
Princeton must win at least one Sunday to retain control of its Ivy fate, but a split would force the Tigers to win all four at Cornell, plus a one-game playoff against Penn for the Ivy South title. A sweep Sunday would mean Princeton would need to win only three of four at Cornell to win the division outright.
Game 1: Penn 11, Princeton 1 (6 inn.)
Penn scored nine runs over the fifth and sixth innings to open up a one-run game and take an 11-1 win in six innings.
Princeton starter Kristen Schaus (8-12) retired seven of the first eight batters before Penn scored its first two runs in the third inning. Kaelin Ainley and Teresa Leyden had doubles in the inning as Penn took a 2-1 lead.
Penn got two singles and a walk in the fourth, but the lead stayed at two until Julia Cheney hit a three-run home run to left in the fifth that scored an Annie Kinsey single and a Christina Khosravi walk for a 5-1 lead.
The Quakers added six in the sixth inning, sending all nine batters to the plate. Khosravi had a run-scoring single and Cheney, who was 4 for 4 on the day, followed with her fourth and fifth RBIs on a single. Melissa Haffner then homered off the fair pole screen just above the wall in left, giving Penn the 11-1 lead.
Penn's Emily Denstedt (12-7) allowed a home run to Kathryn Welch, her second of the season, as one of Princeton's three hits in the opener.
Schaus struck out nine in 5 1/3 innings to pass head coach Maureen Barron's total of 596 from 1994-97 and stand with a second-place 600. Erin Snyder '06 is the leader with 819.
Game 2: Princeton 6, Penn 3
Princeton faced three pitchers in the nightcap and scored five runs over the last three innings in a come-from-behind 6-3 win.
The Tigers were down 2-0 in the third inning, having stranded four on base through the first two frames. But Brianna Moreno legged out a bunt single and Calli Jo Varner kept the inning going on an unusual play, swinging at the third strike but getting hit with the pitch. While the ball rolled toward the Princeton dugout, it remained live and Varner was awarded first base.
Moreno took third in the process, and that ended the day for Penn starter Emily Denstedt, who had also thrown the first game. Erin Boyle came in and threw a wild pitch that allowed Moreno to score and give Princeton its first run.
In the fourth, Princeton got to Boyle again as four of the first five batters singled. Moreno and Kathryn Welch had run-scoring base hits during that stretch, and Princeton had a 3-2 lead. Boyle then left, and though Olivia Mauro ended the inning with a strikeout, she ended up taking the loss.
Penn tied the game in the top of the fifth when Julia Cheney doubled home a walk by Stephanie Reichert, but the Tigers quickly took back the advantage. Erin Miller led off the bottom of the fifth with a double, and Jackie Araneo threaded a key two-out single down the leftfield line to re-take the lead for Princeton.
The Tigers added to it in the sixth as Welch doubled home a single by Moreno and scored on a single by Miller for the 6-3 lead.
Varner pitched the first four innings for Princeton, allowing three hits and three walks, earning both Penn runs on her watch. Jamie Lettire (8-6) got the win in relief, giving up two hits and a run in three innings, walking one and striking out five.
Penn's early 2-0 lead came on a first-inning home run by Stephanie Reichert, which also brought home a leadoff single by Annie Kinsey.
Denstedt finished with four hits and a run on a walk and three strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. Boyle was spared the loss, giving up four hits and two runs in an inning and a third, walking one. Mauro (5-3) earned all three runs during her 2 1/3-inning stint, allowing five hits while fanning three.
Sunday's crucial doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m. at Class of 1895 Field.