SU Pounds Pitt In Doubleheader Wins

Saturday, April 12

Pittsburgh, PA

1 pm

Syracuse University

16-18, 0

Pittsburgh

13-20, 0

Syracuse

Pittsburgh

Photo by: Pitt Media Relations

4/12/2014 6:36:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Game One Box | Game Two Box | Blog Replay | Photo Gallery

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Syracuse overcame early deficits in both games to sweep Pittsburgh, 5-2 and 11-4, on Saturday, April 12.

SU (17-18, 8-7 ACC) has won four straight games and 12 of its last 17, and will look to get back to .500 in the finale with the Panthers (13-21, 4-11 ACC) on Sunday, April 13 at 12 p.m.

The Orange found itself in a 2-0 hole through five innings, but scored five runs in the last two innings to complete the comeback in the opener. In game two, Syracuse trailed 3-0 after the first and 4-2 through four innings, but exploded for nine runs in the fifth and sixth to walk away with the victory.

In the first game, junior Julie Wambold led the Orange with a 2-for-3 effort, including the game-tying two-run double. Freshman Alyssa Dewes hit the go-ahead two-run homer and sophomore Corinne Ozanne added a single and a run batted in.

Freshman pitcher Sydney O'Hara (12-7) gave up two runs, but just one hit in seven innings for her ninth complete game of the season. It was also the fifth time O'Hara surrendered two hits or less in a complete game win.

O'Hara cruised through the first three innings, striking out five Panthers and allowing just one batter to reach base on a walk in the first. However, she made one mistake pitch in the fourth that Tori Nirschl capitalized on. O'Hara hit Carly Thea on a 2-2 count to start the frame and two pitches later gave up a two-run blast to Nirschl that traveled over the stands in center.

Syracuse looked to rally in the top half of the fifth, placing the first two runners on, but Savannah King (7-14) retired the next three to get out of the inning.

King wasn't as lucky in the sixth though, with the Orange plating a pair of runs to tie the game 2-2. Syracuse loaded the bases with two outs following walks to senior Shirley Daniels and Ozanne, and a hit by pitch to senior Jasmine Watson. Wambold came through in the clutch with a two-run double to the right center gap to even things up. With the go-ahead run just 60-feet away, O'Hara grounded out to end the inning.

SU was back at it again in the seventh, scoring three runs to give the Orange its first lead, one it wouldn't relinquish. Freshman Ellie Forkin pinched hit and reached first on an error with one out. That brought up Dewes who crushed a two-run bomb off the scoreboard in left to give the Orange a 4-2 lead. It was the third straight game that Dewes hit a homer. Ozanne added an insurance run later in the inning on an RBI single that brought Daniels in from second.

In the second game, seven Orange women recorded base knocks, with five of them tallying multi-hit games, including O'Hara who finished the a perfect 4-for-4 with a home run, a double and four RBIs. Ozanne and Watson each had two hits and two-run homers. Wambold and Daniels were the others that had a pair of hits, with each one doubling.

Sophomore Lindsey Larkin earned the win after pitching three innings in relief, allowing just one run on two hits. Freshman Christina Clermont picked up the save in three innings of scoreless work.

O'Hara started in the circle and struggled early, giving up three runs in the first inning as. Jordan Fannin and Carly Thea smacked back-to-back homers to lead off the contest and the Panthers pushed another run across on an RBI single by Katherine Kramer.

Syracuse began to chip away at the lead in the third, scoring two runs on a two-out homer by Ozanne to make it 3-2.

The Panthers added one in the home half of the fourth on an RBI single by Fannin to extend the advantage to 4-2, but that would be it for the hosts.

Over the next two innings, SU pounded out nine runs on nine hits to take the lead and put the game away. Ozanne started things off with a one-out single and scored on Watson's two-run jack that knotted the game at 4-4. Following a double by Wambold, O'Hara put 'Cuse in front for good with a two-run blast of her own.

Syracuse tacked on five more runs in the top of the sixth for the final score of 11-4. With one gone in the frame, Daniels singled, stole second and went to third on a ground out. A fielding error allowed Daniels to come home and Ozanne to reach base, extending the inning. Watson then singled to put two aboard for Wambold, who drove in pinch runner senior Alexis Partyka for the eighth score of the game.

O'Hara continued the contagious hitting with a double down the left field line that plated two more and sophomore Danielle Chitkowski capped the scoring by trading places with O'Hara on a RBI double.