Sunday, May 15
Princeton, N.J.
10:00 AM
Princeton University
27-15-2
6
vs
1
Harvard (Ivy Playoff)
22-20
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Harvard
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
3
1
Princeton
3
1
0
0
2
0
X
6
8
2
Princeton added the Ivy League Playoff Series championship trophy to its Ivy League championship trophy on Sunday.
Photo by: Sideline Photos, LLC
Tigers Make More History, Win Ivy League Playoff Series to Earn NCAA Bid
May 15, 2022 | Softball
Six years ago, Princeton went to Harvard and won in three games to become the first road team in what was then 10 Ivy League Championship Series to win what was then a series for both the Ivy League championship and automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
On Sunday at Princeton Softball Stadium at Strubing Field, Princeton became the first team to come back from down 0-1 in the series and win two elimination games in what is now the Ivy League Playoff Series, claiming the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament with a 6-1 win over Harvard. Princeton had already won the Ivy League championship by winning the regular season.
Harvard won the first game on Friday 5-2 in 10 innings in what was the longest game in ILCS/ILPS history, now in its 14th year. Princeton then won 8-4 in Friday's second game and returned on Saturday to take a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
The rains came, and a soggy Saturday forced the game to resume on Sunday with Harvard set to hit in the top of the second. Ivy League Pitcher of the Year Alexis Laudenslager, who retired Harvard in order in the first with the help of a double play, picked up right where she left off, and the Tiger offense did the same. After Laudenslager and the Tigers left two Harvard runners in scoring position in the second inning, Serena Starks had a two-out double to pick up an Ashley McDonald base hit and make it 4-0.
It stayed 4-0 into the fifth, when Harvard spoiled the shutout with a Morgan Melito double to bring home a leadoff walk. That turned out to be the only runner Laudenslager and Princeton allowed, with Laudenslager scattering three hits, four walks and a hit batter, striking out six as Harvard left eight runners on base.
Princeton built on the lead with two runs in its half of fhe fifth, as Lauren Sablone drew a leadoff walk, Starks followed with a single and Sophia Marsalo grounded out to bring home the first of the two runs. Two batters later, an Ali Blanchard single made it 6-1, and after Laudenslager had a hitless final 2 2/3 innings, Princeton had its automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
Princeton's NCAA bid is its 11th in program history and third in the last five opportunities. The Tigers will find out their NCAA tournament destination on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
On Sunday at Princeton Softball Stadium at Strubing Field, Princeton became the first team to come back from down 0-1 in the series and win two elimination games in what is now the Ivy League Playoff Series, claiming the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament with a 6-1 win over Harvard. Princeton had already won the Ivy League championship by winning the regular season.
Harvard won the first game on Friday 5-2 in 10 innings in what was the longest game in ILCS/ILPS history, now in its 14th year. Princeton then won 8-4 in Friday's second game and returned on Saturday to take a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
The rains came, and a soggy Saturday forced the game to resume on Sunday with Harvard set to hit in the top of the second. Ivy League Pitcher of the Year Alexis Laudenslager, who retired Harvard in order in the first with the help of a double play, picked up right where she left off, and the Tiger offense did the same. After Laudenslager and the Tigers left two Harvard runners in scoring position in the second inning, Serena Starks had a two-out double to pick up an Ashley McDonald base hit and make it 4-0.
It stayed 4-0 into the fifth, when Harvard spoiled the shutout with a Morgan Melito double to bring home a leadoff walk. That turned out to be the only runner Laudenslager and Princeton allowed, with Laudenslager scattering three hits, four walks and a hit batter, striking out six as Harvard left eight runners on base.
Princeton built on the lead with two runs in its half of fhe fifth, as Lauren Sablone drew a leadoff walk, Starks followed with a single and Sophia Marsalo grounded out to bring home the first of the two runs. Two batters later, an Ali Blanchard single made it 6-1, and after Laudenslager had a hitless final 2 2/3 innings, Princeton had its automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
Princeton's NCAA bid is its 11th in program history and third in the last five opportunities. The Tigers will find out their NCAA tournament destination on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Laudenslager, Alexis (11-7)
L: Arrambide, Katie (7-10)
Batting:
2B: Melito, Morgan 1
RBI: Melito, Morgan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tyler, Mackenzie 1
HBP: Mays, Madi 1
Batting:
2B: Sablone, Lauren 1 ; Starks, Serena 1 ; Blanchard, Ali 1
RBI: Starks, Serena 1 ; Marsalo, Sophia 1 ; Blanchard, Ali 3 ; Jackson, Grace 1
SH: Starks, Serena 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sablone, Lauren 2 ; Starks, Serena 2 ; Ha, Allison 1 ; Lee, Abbie 1
SB: Sablone, Lauren 1 ; Starks, Serena 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
P/UT
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
1B/OF/C
/ Softball
C/UT
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballReflections from the Princeton Athletics Class of 2025
Tuesday, May 27
Softball Highlights vs. Columbia & Brown, Ivy League Tournament, 5-10-25
Saturday, May 10
Softball Highlights vs. Harvard, Ivy League Tournament, 5-9-25
Friday, May 09
Beyond The Stripes -- Princeton Softball's Legacy Of #2
Thursday, May 08