IN GOOD HANDS: Princeton High softball catcher Clare Johnson scoops up a pitch in a game earlier this season. Senior star Johnson has been leading PHS with her glove and bat in her final campaign for the program. The Tigers, who fell 12-1 to WW/P-North last Thursday to move to 0-3, play at Lawrence High on April 14 and at Notre Dame on April 17. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As a three-year starting catcher for the Princeton High softball team, Clare Johnson is looking to impart some wisdom to the squad’s younger players.

“I am a captain this year, I am really excited to just step up and help these girls,” said senior Johnson, whose freshman season in 2020 was canceled due to the global pandemic. “It is my last year in the program.”

Johnson is determined to make an impact in the field and at the bat in her final campaign for the Tigers.

“I have worked on becoming more confident, definitely commanding the field and knowing what to call,” said Johnson, who is heading to the College of William and Mary and will not be playing softball at the college level. “It helps all of the rest of the girls when we are talking a lot. At bat, I am focused on finding those pitches to hit, being very patient in the box, knowing what I like.”

Last Thursday morning as PHS hosted WW/P-North, Johnson and her teammates displayed some patience, weathering a rough first inning where they gave up 10 runs to settle down in a 12-1 defeat in five innings.

Johnson credited Tiger freshman pitcher Erin Pilicer with showing composure, stemming the tide after the rocky start.

“It was a tough first inning but Erin is doing a great job in the circle,” said Johnson. “She was really able to hit her spots. It is great for me as a catcher to have someone who I know is going to hit her spots. I am very excited about that.”

Working with Pilicer has been fun for Johnson. “We just try to take it one pitch at a time, definitely giving her spots helps,” said Johnson. “We just try to take it slow, she is learning to get more control. Once she is in control and that is our goal, then she is a real powerhouse.”

At bat, Johnson pounded out two hits in the loss, batting in the second spot in the Tiger order.

“The whole team hit really well, it took us a little bit to warm up too in the first couple of  innings,” said Johnson. “Ellie [van der Schaar] had some great shots, unfortunately they were caught. She has been playing great so far. We were just hitting really well although it took a while to warm up.”

While PHS started the season with three defeats in the first week of the campaign, Johnson is seeing progress.

“I feel like we are getting into it, we are missing a couple of girls right now unfortunately,” said Johnson. “I am excited to see what next week brings when we have the whole team back.”

PHS head coach Marissa Soprano is looking for her players to stay focused for the whole time.

“I just told the girls that you have to be in every single pitch, no matter what the score is,” said Soprano. “It is try hard and be there for Erin, our pitcher.”

With PHS getting seven hits in the loss, Soprano liked the way her players swung the bat.

“It is a big improvement over last year, we are putting the ball in play a lot more, we don’t want to see those strikeouts,” said Soprano. “I think every game will get a little better at bat. I told them we need a little more luck to find those gaps — van den Schaar hit two ropes. It is keep putting the ball in play and see what happens.”

Ani Betancourt made things happen, getting two hits and an RBI against WW/P-N.

“Ani is a freshman, we are looking to build the program around players like her,” said Soprano. “She did a good job today in the field and at the bat. We have a good freshman class this year. Each time they get experience at the varsity level, it will be a little bit easier for them. In the three games this week, we were just trying to get them to jell with the team and understand how the game works at the varsity level. It was a good learning experience. They were able to stay in the game today and come back in the last couple of innings.”

The pitching of Pilicer has helped keep the Tigers in games.

“We are very excited, she has good control and resiliency too,” said Soprano. “Being able to face varsity hitters for a full game is hard. She is working with Clare really well. She is only a freshman so this is a big task and she is doing well.”

Soprano credits Johnson with giving PHS a lot of good work over her career.

“Clare has become a staple for us behind the plate, having played so many years for us now,” said Soprano of Johnson, whose defensive excellence is even more impressive as a left-handed catcher, a rarity in softball and baseball.

“Her blocking is phenomenal. I appreciate her leadership. She is good for the girls to see; both her effort and her energy is an example for the rest of the team. She is good at the top of the lineup because she is fast too. Putting the ball in play puts pressure on the other team. We like her and Ellie right at the top of the order.”

In Soprano’s view, there are good things on the horizon for the Tigers.

“We are excited to have more girls who have playing experience coming from the middle school or travel programs,” said Soprano, whose team plays at Lawrence High on April 14 and at Notre Dame on April 17. “It is just working with them being able to become more competitive and work with our girls who have been here, like Ellie and Clare, to find our rhythm.”

Johnson, for her part, believes that PHS will be more and more competitive as the season unfolds.

“We are all very young, with lots of really good freshmen,” said Johnson. “I am just excited to see what happens. As long as we continue to work hard, work on hitting, and work on communicating in the field, I think we are going to really improve.”