Syracuse Orange Softball: ‘Cuse splits doubleheader with Great Danes

Syracuse Orange softball took a two-hour trip on Wednesday to take on UAlbany in a doubleheader. The Orange would give the ball to who else? Madison Knight was the starting pitcher in the first game of the doubleheader. Knight was coming off an outing where she would throw the 11th no-hitter in ‘Cuse softball history on Saturday against NC State, and she was looking for a repeat outing.

The Syracuse Orange, its first time up to bat, didn’t get score runs but did get a hit off the bat of Tessa Galipeau. Knight was able to retire the Great Danes in order in the first. After not allowing a hit to the ‘Cuse in the second, UAlbany would get its first run of the game on a double steal.

Chloe Lewis was thrown out at second trying to steal, but Deanna Grahek was also on the move and was able to steal home, putting the Great Danes on the board first. The Syracuse Orange wasn’t able to answer in its half of the third, even after Ryan Starr got a single, stole second and advanced to third.

Knight would have a bounce-back inning by striking out the side and then striking out two hitters in the third. The ‘Cuse was silent through the first four innings and it continued in the fifth and they would continue to strand Starr in scoring position; however, the Great Danes’ bats would wake up in the fifth inning.

Syracuse Orange softball went 1-1 in a doubleheader on the road versus UAlbany.

Sara Anderson would fly out but Grahek would walk in the next at-bat. With two outs in the inning, Wendi Hammond would rip a double that allowed Grahek to score from first to increase UAlbany’s lead. Sierra Fretz would pinch-hit and work a walk.

Christie Collins, pinch running for Hammond, would score after a single by Jordan Nastos. Nastos would end up knocking Knight out of the circle but Knight would stay in the game as a designated player. Kaila Oliver would come in and get the final out of the inning by getting Caitlyn Mitros to line out to Rebecca Clyde.

Syracuse would ultimately get shutout in Game 1, as the Great Danes would tack on two more runs and take Game 1, 5-0.

Game 2 of the doubleheader was much more of a thriller than Game 1. The Syracuse Orange would have Lindsey Hendrix in the circle. Hendrix and her opponent, Kate Powers, would go back-and-fourth in a pitchers duel, allowing zero runs in the first three innings.

The Syracuse Orange would be the first ones to break the tie when Angel Jasso hit a double that would score Ryan Gallegos. The Great Danes wouldn’t score until the fifth inning where they would go off and score four runs in the innings when Grahek would double down the left-field line to start the inning and Lewis would bring her into score with a single up the middle.

Their second run would come after Caitlyn Frederick reached on an error by Kelly Breen. Nastos would single, scoring Kasey Conn. The fourth and final run of the inning came when Maddi Petrella grounded out to Breen and Frederick would score.

The Syracuse Orange would answer back quickly in the sixth inning. Jasso would be awarded first after a catchers interference call and would steal second. Jasso would score by a Laila Alves’ triple and would be taken out by Olivia Pess to run at third. Geana Torres would tie the game with a two-run home run to tie the game at four apiece.

Neither team would score in the seventh, which meant extra innings but the Syracuse Orange didn’t want the game to go any longer than the eighth. The ‘Cuse quickly scored in the eighth when Jasso had an RBI single that would bring in Breen. SU would prevail, 5-4.

The Syracuse Orange (13-19-1) will resume Atlantic Coast Conference play this Friday, beginning at 6 pm, when the ‘Cuse travels to Chapel Hill to take on North Carolina in a three-game set. Per SU Athletics, the first two games will be streamed live on the ACC Network Extra, while Sunday’s conference clash will air on the ACC Network.