This past Saturday, the softball team (10-17, 3-6 Ivy) played their final game of a three-game series against Princeton (19-10, 9-0) at the Tigers’ home field. After losing to Princeton 6-2 on Friday and 2-1 earlier on Saturday, the latter half of the weekend doubleheader was Bruno’s only chance to get on the board.
But unfortunately for the Bears, Princeton nabbed a third straight win with a 12-4 victory to sweep the series. With the latest loss, Brown sits at No. 6 in the Ivy League standings.
The Bears were only able to score one run in the first five innings to Princeton’s seven. Though Bruno’s bats came alive for three runs in the top of the sixth inning, Princeton racked up five of their own in the bottom of the sixth to grow their lead to eight and invoke a mercy rule early finish.
With Brown batting to start the game, infielder Maya Choksi ’27 stepped up to the plate. But sharp pitching from the Tigers’ Cassidy Shaw quickly sent her back to the dugout. Amanda Deng ’28 then attempted to get Brown going, but Shaw soon sent her packing with yet another strikeout.
Catcher and utility player Maggie Foxx ’28 managed to make contact on Shaw’s pitch after two strikes, reaching second base and putting Brown in scoring position. But when Abby Bettencourt ’28 sent a fly ball sailing to right field into the hands of a Princeton fielder, Bruno’s hopes were dashed.
Princeton quickly loaded the bases in the bottom of the first. When the Tigers’ Karis Ford’s shot streaked to left field, utility player Jasmine Hsiao ’26 flung the ball to second base — holding Princeton’s Graciela Dominguez at third and nearly catching Tigers’ Julia Dumais at second. But a skillful slide from Dumais saved her from being taken off the field.
Moments later, a wild pitch from Bruno starter Edie Cobb ’28 caught catcher Lilly Burns ’27 off-guard. As Burns fumbled with the ball, Dominguez secured the first run of the game for the Tigers. Princeton’s Jessica Phelps sent the ball to right field, allowing Dumais to sprint home and bring Princeton a 2-0 lead.
Brown looked to the second inning as a chance to match Princeton’s slight lead. But Shaw took three of Brown’s players off the field before the Bears could get anyone on base.
With another chance at the plate, Princeton swiftly loaded their bases again. Dominguez walked to first base, and after yielding an out, the Tigers looked to Dumais to extend their lead. On a batter-friendly 3-1 count, Dumais sent the ball hurtling left. When Hsiao fumbled and dropped the ball, Dumais clinched a single.
As Hsiao struggled in left field, Princeton’s Abby Hornberger and Maddie Ratcheson — stationed at second and third base, respectively — made mad dashes for home, adding two more runs to Princeton’s total. The Tigers notched a fifth consecutive run to their tally as Dominguez reached home base, ending the second inning with a 5-0 lead.
Brown approached the third inning desperate to get on the board. After a single, outfielder Lily Berlinger ’26 reached third, tagging up after two consecutive flyouts.
Deng, who was next to bat, catapulted the ball to left field, barely evading Dumais’s outstretched hands. Brown used this opening to send Berlinger home, marking Bruno’s first run of the game.
Unfortunately for Bruno, Foxx struck out swinging just moments later and ended any hopes of a comeback in the inning. To make matters worse, Princeton nabbed two more runs in the bottom of the inning, putting Brown at a six-point deficit going into the fourth.
Both teams’ scores remained unchanged in the fourth and fifth innings. But in the sixth, Brown looked momentarily posed for success.
Bettencourt started Brown off strong with a double headed right field. Cameron Zytkewicz Ray ’26 slammed the ball into right field and it headed for the warning track. With Zytkewicz Ray earning a triple, Bettencourt was able to reach home base — earning a second run for Bruno.
But Brown didn’t stop there. With Torii Ramirez ’29 on first as a pinch runner for Burns after a walk, Alyssa Villarde ’27 knocked the ball to left field. Zytkewicz Ray went from third base to home and added a run to Brown’s total, bringing the total to 7-3 as Ramirez advanced to second.
Ramirez reached third after Berlinger grounded out before being brought home by Hsiao, reducing the Bears deficit to 3 runs.
Elli Thompson ’28 stepped up to the plate next and Brown, with two outs already, looked to her to continue bringing in runs. Though her hit reached the outfield, Princeton’s defense brought the ball rapidly to second base and created what would become Brown’s final out.
Though victory was already within reach for the Tigers, in the bottom of the sixth inning, Princeton elevated their offensive dominance, securing five runs to push their lead to 12-4. The Tigers’ barrage invoked the mercy rule — which ends a game when a team faces a deficit of at least eight runs in the fifth inning or later.
Despite the loss, Berlinger wrote in an email to The Herald that the team is “just going to get back to work.”
The Bears will face Harvard (14-14-1, 6-3) this Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at home in another conference matchup.
Rahul Sameer is a staff writer from Singapore. He plans to concentrate in Applied Mathematics. In his free time, he plays tennis and Mahjong.
