Princeton sophomore Fernanda Rodriguez-Fierro collected two hits with two RBIs to help lift the Lady Panthers to a 12-2 run over McKinney on March 31. Photo by Jerry Winfrey / C&S Media

By David Wolman

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Ever since joining Class 6A two years ago, the Princeton softball team had been unable to earn a District 6-6A win.

Princeton showed signs of a potential breakthrough three weeks ago in a 2-1 loss to Plano East. 

Everything finally came together for the Lady Panthers in a 12-2 run-rule win over McKinney on March 31.

Offensively, Princeton pounced on McKinney pitching for 18 hits, with eight players notching at least two hits. Freshman leadoff batter and starting shortstop Valentina Beltran went 3-for-5 with four RBIs to pace an 18-hit outburst. Meghan Gilbert, Fernanda Rodriguez-Fierro, Zoie Rainey, Camila Beltran, Dahlia Gutierrez and Hailey Highbarger each collected two hits.

Freshman pitcher Zaniya Passini starred on the mound and at the plate for Princeton. Passini had three hits in four at-bats and drove in one run. The freshman right-hander struck out six Lionettes over effective six innings, allowing three hits and two runs.

Princeton scored three runs in the bottom of the first to immediately put pressure on McKinney. All of the damage came with two outs. Rodriguez-Fierro ignited the rally with a single. Rainey reached on an RBI triple and scored on Passini’s RBI double. Camila Beltran made it 3-0 Lady Panthers with an RBI single. 

McKinney cut the deficit to 3-1 after Molly True led off the top of the second with a solo home run.

The Lady Panthers were quick to respond, and it was another two-out rally that led to more runs for Princeton. Gilbert reached on a double in the bottom of the second and scored on an error by McKinney’s infield. Rainey followed with an RBI single up the middle for a 5-1 Princeton lead.

There was no stopping Princeton’s offense on this night as the Lady Panthers scored seven runs over the game’s final three innings, with an RBI single by Valentina Beltran in the bottom of the sixth invoking the mercy run rule and ending the game.

Unfortunately for Princeton, the Lady Panthers couldn’t build on that momentum. District 6-6A leader Allen (21-3 overall, 12-0 district) scored nine runs before Princeton got on the board, and a nine-run bottom of the third by the Lady Eagles ended the game.

Princeton finally strung together a few plays on offense in the top of the third to plate their first runs of the ballgame.

A hit by pitch and a Rainey single jump-started a two-out rally for Princeton. Paityn Athey had an RBI single to drive in the first Lady Panthers run. Gutierrez followed by hitting a hard ground ball to the left side of the infield for a two-run single.

Gutierrez’s two-run hit reduced Princeton’s deficit to 9-3. 

Allen responded by scoring nine runs in its half of the third, with the first 13 batters all reaching base, which included eight walks, the last of which drove in the final run of Thursday’s ballgame.

Princeton (5-19, 1-12) hosts Plano West this Friday, with first pitch set for 7:15 p.m.

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