Syracuse Orange Softball: Knight dominates, SU gets first 2023 home win

Syracuse Orange softball (11-17-1, 2-9-1 in the ACC) had its first of three games versus Atlantic Coast Conference opponent NC State on Thursday night. Syracuse entered the game after recently getting swept in a doubleheader against Louisville, and the Orange gave the ball to freshman Madison Knight to try to get the first win of the series and its first home win of the season.

NC State only was able to get one person on base in the first after Knight walked Amanda Hasler and then was able to get a groundout and two flyouts. Syracuse Orange bats woke up early as it got its first run of the game in the first inning. Madelyn Lopez started the inning with a single then Taylor Posner reached on a fielder’s choice and Lopez moved to second on a wild pitch during the at-bat.

After Angel Jasso fouled out, Kelly Breen would zip a double into left field, scoring Taylor Posner from second. Tessa Galipeau walked and the first inning ended when Trinity Nichols flew out. Knight was completely dominant throughout the whole game. She would strike out five hitters between the second and fourth innings, holding the Wolfpack scoreless in six innings of work.

Syracuse Orange softball notched its first home victory of the 2023 term.

The ‘Cuse would not score again until the fourth inning when Laila Alves and Angel Ramos hit back-to-back doubles that made it a 2-0 Orange lead. Syracuse would add two more runs in the fifth from the bats of Breen and Galipeau.

Already over 100 pitches, Knight would come out to pitch the sixth and struck out two Wolfpack hitters and induced a flyball out. She would get replaced in the circle in the seventh by Lindsey Hendrix after walking Ellie Goins. NC State ended up making the game interesting in the final inning when they got two runs on the board after a sac fly by Hannah Goodwin and an RBI single by Katlyn Pavlick.

With the sac fly by Goodwin, Knight got hit with the earned run, losing her shutout. After that, Knight’s final line read an impressive six innings pitched, three hits, one earned run, six walks, seven strikeouts, and 128 pitches. The ‘Cuse ultimately prevailed, 4-2.

Syracuse Orange softball got its first home win of the 2023 season and will look to take a 2-0 series lead on Friday, with the game starting at 3:00 pm from Skytop Softball Stadium. This ACC clash will stream live on the ACC Network Extra.