Orangewomen Go 4-2 at NYSCSO Fall Invitational
10/1/2001 5:43:42 PM | Softball
Cicero, N.Y. - The Syracuse softball team opened its fall season with a 4-2 finish at the New York State Collegiate Softball Officials Fall Invitational on Sept. 29-30. The Orangewomen finished in second place, losing to Cornell in the championship game, 3-2.
SU lost its opening game to LeMoyne, but rebounded to defeat Siena, Cornell, St. Bonaventure and Albany and advance to the title game.
A mixture of veterans and newcomers helped SU to its four victories. Redshirt sophomore Cheryl Julicher (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville) hit three home runs and drove in seven in her first action since suffering a broken foot last February. Freshman Taylor Petersen (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora) started all six games. She hit .312 with two doubles and a pair of runs batted. Petersen was also effective from the mound, striking out 10 batters in 12 innings of work. She recorded wins versus Siena and Albany.
Junior Kristen Collins (Stow, Mass/Nashoba Regional) led the Orangewomen offense from the leadoff spot with eight hits. She also scored a team-leading 10 runs.
Junior Tara DiMaggio (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) and senior Heather Brown (Bloomfield, N.M./Farmington) combined with Petersen to limit opponents to a .220 batting average. DiMaggio went 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in seven innings. She struck out 10 and allowed four hits in a win versus St. Bonaventure. Brown got the most work of the SU pitching staff, throwing 20 innings. She compiled a 2.25 ERA and struck out 20 hitters, while walking only four.
As a team, the Orangewomen hit .313 for the tournament, 119 points higher than their team average from the 2001 season. Six players hit above the .300 plateau, including sophomore Cortney Nickerson's (Farmington, N.M./Farmington) .400 average (6-for-15).
The Syracuse offense also proved more powerful. Julicher's three home runs in six games matched the team's output from all of last season. The Orangewomen also recorded 13 doubles in the tournament, led by freshmen Katie Kaempfer (Las Vegas, Nev./Bonanza) and Kassidee Plumley (El Paso, Texas, Franklin) with three each. The 2001 squad had 30 doubles in 47 games.
The Orangewomen continue their fall season on Thursday, Oct. 4 at 6 p.m. when they host a doubleheader with Niagara. That twin bill was originally scheduled for Oct. 3.
Game Recaps
LeMoyne 5, Syracuse 2 (8 innings)
Sept. 29, 2001
The Dolphins scored three runs in the top of the eighth to break a 2-2 tie and went on to win the opening game of the NYSCSO Fall Invitational, 5-2. Kristen Collins and Cheryl Julicher each had two hits for the Orangewomen. Julicher hit her first home run of the tournament in the sixth inning. Katie Kaempfer also drove in a run. Heather Brown took the loss, allowing two earned runs in the complete-game effort. Brown struck out 13 batters.
Syracuse 7, Siena 1
Sept. 29, 2001
Syracuse scored early and often, plating three runs in each of the first two frames in a 7-1 victory versus Siena. Taylor Petersen retired the first 14 hitters she faced and tossed five and one-third no-hit innings. For the game, she allowed four hits, one unearned run and struck out six. Julicher hit her second home run of the day, a two-run shot in the first. She later added an RBI double in the second inning. Collins, Kaempfer and Kassidee Plumley also drove in runs for SU.
Syracuse 10, Cornell 1 (5 innings)
Sept. 29, 2001
The Orangewomen finished pool play 2-1 after defeating the defending Ivy League champions, 10-1, in five innings. Kaempfer drove in a pair of runs in SU's five-run second inning with a double. She finished the game with two hits and three RBIs. Plumley and Petersen also had two hits. Collins drove in two and scored twice. Brown picked up the win, striking out four in five innings of work.
Syracuse 4, St. Bonaventure 3
Sept. 30, 2001
Katie Kaempfer drove in the game-winning run with a double in the bottom of the fifth inning to help the Orangewomen advance to the semifinals. Plumley had two doubles and two runs batted in to lead the offense. Collins also had two hits and scored twice. Tara DiMaggio earned the victory, striking out 10 in seven innings of work. She allowed one earned run and four hits in her only appearance of the weekend.
Syracuse 12, Albany 4 (5 innings)
Sept. 30, 2001
A six-run fifth inning propelled the Orangewomen into the championship game with a 12-4 win versus Albany. Nikki Lincoln drove in the run that ended the game with a single. Junior Jennifer Read, Lincoln, DiMaggio and Cortney Nickerson drove in two runs each for Syracuse. Lincoln led SU with three hits. Taylor Petersen got the win. She struck out four in the complete-game victory.
Cornell 3, Syracuse 2
Sept. 30, 2001
The Big Red claimed the tournament championship with a 3-2 win. Cheryl Julicher drove in both of SU's runs. Heather Brown suffered the loss. She gave up two earned runs and eight hits in seven innings of work. Brown struck out three and walked one.
