Princeton’s Jessica Strauch calls Keely Lawson and Avah Oertel the Dynamic Duo for a good reason.

They combined for four hits and six RBIs to lead the Tigresses to a 9-4 win over Chillicothe IVC in Friday’s home opener at Little Siberia Field. Lawson blasted a solo shot deep to center field in the first inning and Oertel followed with a 2-run blast in the fourth.

Oertel said they feed off each other’s successes.

“Especially us back to back. Nine out of 10 times, she gets on base and makes the expectations high for me. I hold myself accountable,” she said.

“It’s a battle between those two every time,” Strauch said.

Lawson came out swinging, tying the game in the bottom of the first with one swing of the bat. She wanted to make amends for her error in the field at short that led to the Grey Ghosts run in the top of the first.

“I had that error in the first inning and I knew I wasn’t going to stay put on that so I wanted to pick my team back up,” she said. “I knew what I had to do. And I think most importantly, I was staying confident at the plate. I knew what I was looking for and when I saw that pitch, just drove it a long way.”

Oertel reached on an error and scored two batters later on Izzy Gibson’s RBI single to center to put the Tigresses ahead 2-1.

Piper Hansen and Sylvie Rutledge each drew walks to open the second and moved up on a sac bunt by Reese Reviglio. Leadoff hitter Caroline Keutzer brought home Hansen, reaching safely on an error by the IVC first baseman. Lawson doubled home two runs before scoring on Makayla Hecht’s smash through the left side to make it 6-1.

It was Oertel’s time to dial distance in the fourth when she deposited a blast to center for a 2-run homer to give PHS an 8-3 lead.

Oertel finished off the PHS win with a single off the base of the center field fence to score Reviglio, who walked, from first base.

Oertel also earned the victory in the circle though she wasn’t happy with her performance, allowing nine hits, three earned and three walks to go with three strikeouts.

“I think everyone knows I didn’t have the best game on the mound,” she said. “But knowing my defense was behind me picking me up every step of the way really made me realize it’s all worth it in the end. I could have easily shut down and my defense could have just been there, but instead they stayed in the game and picking me up.”

Gibson went 2 for 4 with a RBI while Hecht, Hansen and Rutledge each hit safely.

“We have a very solid lineup all the way through,” Strauch said.

Joharah Boze, who doubled with two RBIs, and Emma Fleming each had two hits for the Grey Ghosts.

The win sent the Tigresses off to 2-0 start in a season of high hopes.

“It’s a good start to my senior year. I’m hoping it goes out a positive way,” Lawson said. “I’m feeling confident right night. We’re feeling good.”

The Tigresses play at Dixon at 11 a.m. Saturday.