SWINGING AWAY: Princeton High softball player Kelli Swedish takes a cut in a game this season. Last Saturday, senior third baseman Swedish had two hits and a run on the day to help PHS win the John Czeterko Highwaywomen Softball Classic in Teaneck as it topped Bogota 8-3 in the semis and then outlasted Teaneck 4-0 in nine innings in the title game. The Little Tigers, now 5-5, will look to keep on the winning track as they play at WW/P-S on April 27 and at Trenton on April 29 before hosting Hopewell Valley on May 2. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Having lost 4-0 to WW/P-N a week earlier, the Princeton High softball team was primed for the rematch with the Northern Knights last Friday.

“We were just trying to play our game and not let them rattle us,” said PHS senior third baseman Kelli Swedish.

“We have seen in practice what we can do and we just try to pick each other up more.”

After the game was delayed for 30 minutes due to thunder in the area, Swedish picked up two RBIs as she ripped a single up the middle in the bottom of the third inning to plate Celia Gleason and Stephanie Wu and give PHS a 2-0 lead.

“I just wanted to hit the ball right back where it came from; that is the way I always approach it,” said Swedish. “Take it outside if it is outside, take it up the middle if that is where the pitch is.”

The Little Tigers, though, squandered the lead, giving up five runs in the top of the seventh to fall 5-2.

“We were playing really well; we were all contributing in the field,” said Swedish, who made some fine plays at third.

“It just got away from us. We have to finish the game, two outs in the top of the seventh means nothing.”

PHS head coach Dave Boehm likes the way Swedish has been playing in her final campaign.

“She has been one of our best hitters this year,” said Boehm. “Kelli has great spirit. She is always busting out there. Even when she makes an out, she runs hard to first.”

The Little Tigers showed some good spirit, bouncing back from the disappointing loss to WWP-N to win the John Czeterko Highwaywomen Softball Classic in Teaneck a day later, topping Bogota 8-3 in the semis and then outlasting Teaneck 4-0 in nine innings in the title game.

In Boehm’s view, the loss to WW/P-N served as motivation coming into action on Saturday.

“It was a killer and that hurt,” said Boehm. “I think it bothered them losing that game on Friday the way they did in the seventh inning.”

In the win against Bogota on Saturday, junior Nancy Gray starred with her arm and bat, tossing a complete game and driving in three runs.

“Gray had a great game; Bogota has a nice little team; I think they were 5-3 going in,” said Boehm of Gray, who allowed two earned runs on seven hits and one walk in the circle and went 4-for-4 with a homer at the plate.

“I wanted to rest Kayla (Volante) because she has been throwing every game. Volante said she felt good, she could have gone the first game but I stuck to it and stayed with Nancy and let her get the innings and throw some pitches. She did well, she responded really well. She hit the ball hard; she hit a home run over the fence.”

Volante handled the pitching duties in the title game, hurling a five-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts and no walks.

“I think she threw 114 pitches in nine innings and she threw 127 on Friday,” said Boehm. “She did a really nice job. That game is one of those games where you figure we give up a run in the sixth and lose it in the seventh. We did a good job. We came out and got four runs in the top of the ninth. We had some key hits there from Bianca Guidi and Natalie Campisi. She had a big hit and drove in two runs.”

Noting that winning the Czeterko event last year proved to be a turning point for his club, Boehm is hoping the title will have the same impact this spring.

“Last year when we went up to Teaneck and played well in the tournament and then we played well for the rest of the year,” said Boehm, whose team is now 5-5 and will look to keep on the winning track as it plays at WW/P-S on April 27 and at Trenton on April 29 before hosting Hopewell Valley on May 2.

“So maybe in the last 10 games here we will start playing well again and keep it up.”

Swedish, for her part, is looking to savor her remaining games at PHS.

“At this point it is more about having fun and enjoying my teammates,” said Swedish.

“Winning is great too but at the end of the day you don’t remember the wins and losses.”