BRINGING THE HEAT: Princeton High softball pitcher Sarah Eisenach fires a pitch in action last season. Junior ace ­Eisenach will be carrying the pitching load this spring for PHS as it looks to build on its 11-12 campaign in 2013, the program’s first-ever double-digit win season. The Little Tigers get regular season play underway this week as they were scheduled to host Hopewell Valley on April 1 and then play at Allentown on April 3 and host Trenton Central on April 7.
(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Having lost six seniors from a 2013 team that posted the program’s first-ever double-digit win season, the Princeton High softball team is going to have a different look this spring.

But PHS head coach Dave Boehm believes this year’s squad can pick up where things left off from the breakthrough 11-12 campaign last spring.

“We have six newcomers to the lineup so they have to gain confidence,” said Boehm.

“I told the girls at the beginning of the season that I think they can be in double-digits in wins.”

Boehm is expecting junior pitcher Sarah Eisenach to pile up a lot of wins this spring.

“Sarah will see most of the action in the circle,” said Boehm, whose team was slated to open the 2014 season by hosting Hopewell Valley on April 1 and then playing at Allentown on April 3 and hosting Trenton Central on April 7.

“She has gotten a little faster and a little stronger. I think she has gotten a little tougher.”

PHS may also get some innings from a pair of freshmen, Kayla Volante and Nancy Gray.

“If needed, Kayla and Nancy are both capable of handling the job,” added Boehm.

“Volante has good movement on her pitches. She is a younger kid so she will have to get used to the varsity level.”

The talented Volante will be counted on to get the PHS offense moving. “Kayla will be leading off,” said Boehm.

“We will need senior captain Jess Campisi to have a better year than she did last year. We will be looking for Sarah to step up. Sarah, Kelli Swedish, and Nancy Gray will be in the middle of the lineup. Rounding out the lineup will be speedy Stephanie Wu, Katie Kanter, and Lucia Matteo. Hopefully we won’t have to play station-to-station offense. We may need to play some small ball to go from first to third.”

The Little Tigers will need to play good ball on defense. “The fielding has been very good in two of our three scrimmages,” said Boehm, who has sophomore Matteo at catcher, sophomore Emily DiLella at first, Campisi at second or shortstop with Gray also seeing time at short, sophomore Wu at third, sophomore Swedish in left field, Volante in center field and senior Kanter in right.

“I think we have gotten a little quicker in the infield. I am happy with how this young team has responded.”

Boehm, for his part, is confident that the Little Tigers will keep responding as the spring unfolds.

“I’m optimistic that we will be competitive throughout the season,” said Boehm. “We may struggle against some of the powerhouses but we’ll show up and battle tough.”