PHS softball team sticking together in tough season
By: Rich Fisher
When teams are losing, it can be pure agony sometimes.
Tempers could flair, feelings could be hurt. And then of course, there is just the misery of not winning.
The Princeton High softball team is experiencing the losses this year, as three straight setbacks to start the week left the Little Tigers at 3-16.
But dissension has not taken hold.
"I think we’re hanging in there," junior third baseman Eliza Stasi said after a 14-0 setback at Monroe on Monday. "We’re a lot closer this year. It’s really great, with the team spirit and team bonding."
Stasi went so far as to even invent a word for what the Tigers have.
"I think we have such better . . . teamship," she said with a laugh. "We’re all really good friends and we’re better this year at getting along.
"We’re just positive about everything. You win some, you lose some. We’re just all friends, so we make each other laugh about everything."
And as the old saying goes, it’s better to laugh than cry. The loss at Monroe was the fourth shutout in five games suffered by the Tigers. They were blanked three straight early last week by the three Hamilton Township schools, then erupted for an 18-4 win over West Windsor-Plainsboro North.
Stasi had two doubles and three RBIs in that game, while Britney Russell had a double and four RBIs. Russell was the winning pitcher, allowing three hits.
Unfortunately, Princeton could not save some of those runs for the start of the new week. Things reverted on Monday, as the PHS pitchers allowed 12 walks and seven hits. The only offensive highlight was a double by Russell.
It is that kind of inconsistency that is killing the Little Tigers.
"We’re making progress, but it’s on and off," Stasi said. "We have good days and bad days. We take a step ahead, then take a couple steps behind, then a step ahead again.
"It’s just like a cycle. It’s not really the best thing to do."
But when the peaks turn to valleys, the Little Tigers cling to each other rather than blame each other.
"We’re all becoming good friends," Golubieski said. "It hurts to lose all these games. But I think we’ve come far from the beginning of the season, even though that’s kind of hard to see. But I think we really have.
"Being friends helps a lot. It keeps you going through the losses."
And although this season has been mostly a struggle, the players are bolstered by the fact they have a young team and most of the girls will be back for another year.

