Softball Team Splits Opening Pair in North Carolina

Friday, February 20

Chapel Hill, N.C.

10:00 AM

Princeton University

5-1

North Carolina Central

1-11

N.C. Central

Princeton

Julia Dumais had a fifth-inning go-ahead home run against North Carolina Central.

Photo by: Shelley M. Szwast

Softball Team Splits Opening Pair in North Carolina

February 20, 2026 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

In the first two of five games this weekend in North Carolina, the Princeton softball split on Friday, rallying for a 3-1 win over North Carolina Central before falling 3-2 to App State in the second game of the day.

Against NCCU, Princeton saw the Eagles strike with a solo home run in the top of the first, but Princeton starter Keala Hollenkamp settled in from there, allowing just one run on six hits while striking out seven over 6 1/3 innings.

The Tigers broke through in the fourth inning, tying the game on an RBI single from Courtney Harrison. Princeton then took the lead in the fifth when Julia Dumais launched a solo home run to center, putting the Tigers in front for good.

Princeton added an insurance run in the sixth on an RBI single from Camryn Bradshaw before Reece Uehara closed out the final two outs to secure the win.

Dumais, Sonia Zhang and Maddie Ratcheson each had two hits as Princeton finished with 11 hits in the game

In the day's second game, Princeton battled back late but came up just short against an App State squad that won for the ninth time in 10 games on the season.

The Mountaineers scored in each of the first two innings to take an early 2-0 lead, and added a key insurance run in the sixth.

Princeton broke through in the fifth when Braeden Hale delivered an RBI double to cut the deficit in half. The Tigers threatened again in the seventh, loading the bases before Mia Valenzuela brought home a run with a groundout to make it 3-2. App State stopped the rally there.

Hale led Princeton with three hits, while Graciela Dominguez and Sonia Zhang each added two hits against the Mountaineers.

Now 5-2, Princeton will see App State again on Saturday at 10 a.m. before turning right around to face host North Carolina at 12:30 p.m.