'Cuse Splits on Day One of Citrus Classic

Friday, February 26

Orlando, FL

11 AM

Syracuse University

4-5

Fordham

3-8

Fordham

Syracuse

2/26/2016 11:11:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Orange tie program record for most hits in a game against Morgan State

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The Syracuse softball team went 1-1 on the first day of the Citrus Classic, falling to Fordham in the first game 4-1 while picking up an 11-2 win over Morgan State in its second game at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

The Orange (5-5) racked up a program record-matching 19 hits against the Bears, with senior Corinne Ozanne leading the pack with five hits in the latter game. Going 5-5, Ozanne tied the school record for most hits in a game, while matching the single-game program record for doubles with three. The Center Valley, Pa. native drove in five RBI off of her five hits.

Nine different Orange tallied at least one hit in the 11-2 victory over Morgan State, including doubles from Sammy Fernandez and Sydney O'Hara in addition to Ozanne. Junior Alyssa Dewes racked up a triple and tallied the only Orange home run of the game, improving her slugging percentage to an outstanding 1.182 on the season.

GAME 1
Syracuse's only run from the opening game against Fordham came off of a Rams error by the second baseman in the bottom of the third, as the error invited sophomore Rachel Burkhardt to home plate. The Rams got on the board in the top of the second, after a single up the middle with bases loaded sent the runner on third home.

After that, the Orange struggled to get anything going, as Fordham continued to tack on runs in the top of the third off of a hit in a bases loaded situation, and the top of the fifth off of an error and a single to left center.

Sophomore Maddi Doane registered two hits off of three at bats, while Sammy Fernandez added a double. Freshman Andrea Bombace collected a team-high 10 putouts, while freshman Hannah Dossett added assists on three putouts.

GAME 2
The Orange got on board early in the slugfest against the Bears, as three base hits in a row opened the game for 'Cuse, sending lead-off batter Rachel Burkhardt to home plate with no outs. Sammy Fernandez met home plate in the top of the first as well, after a groundout to second guided the sophomore to home plate to make it an early 2-0 advantage for the Orange.

Morgan State answered with a run off of a walk with bases loaded in the bottom of the first, but that's as close as the Bears would get. Both squads proceeded to hold each other scoreless for two innings, until a triple by Alyssa Dewes sent freshman Alicia Hansen on first successfully home to make it a 3-1 advantage for 'Cuse.

The Bears attempted to come within reach of the Orange off of a homer to left field in the bottom of the fourth to make it a one-run game, 3-2. Syracuse, however, answered in the top of the fifth, starting things off with back-to-back doubles from Fernandez and Ozanne, with the latter double bringing Fernandez home, 4-2. Two at bats later, another double by Sydney O'Hara to center field welcomed pinch runner Aliyah Wade home.

The Orange added two more runs in the top of the sixth, as Ozanne registered her second double of the game with bases loaded that brought in runners Dewes and Kelsey Johnson to make it 7-2. Syracuse sealed the deal in the final inning, as Hansen successfully made it to home plate from third off of an error by the catcher. Fresh off of Johnson stealing second base, Dewes jacked one out of the park right down the left field line, taking Johnson with her to make it a 10-2 game. Ozanne capped the victory with her third double of the game with two outs, sending Fernandez to home plate from first and finalizing an 11-2 victory.

Syracuse returns to action tomorrow, Feb. 27, in day two of the Citrus Classic, taking on No. 22 UCF at 1:15 p.m. and Charlotte at 5:45 p.m.