Orangewomen Softball Sweeps Doubleheader Versus Utah
3/13/2001 1:17:15 PM | Softball
Syracuse is now 3-6 on the season, while Utah stands at 8-11.
The Orangewomen fell behind, 3-0, after three innings in the nightcap. The Utes scored first on a solo home run by Niki Wayhurst in the bottom of the second. Utah added another unearned run in the frame to take a 2-0 lead. They scored their final run in the third inning on an RBI fielder's choice by Becky Culligan.
Syracuse had just two hits after five innings, but erupted for four safeties in the sixth. Freshman Nikki Lincoln (Baton Rouge, LA) led off the inning with a single and moved to second a base hit by sophomore Christina Holowich (Castro Valley, CA). A sacrifice bunt followed by a walk loaded the bases with one out. After a line drive to center field, sophomore Lindsay Richards (Burr Ridge, IL) put the Orangewomen on the board when she reached on an error.
Freshman catcher Jaime Grillo (Brentwood, NY) tied the game with a single up the middle that scored two runs. Both Grillo and Richards moved into scoring position on a play at the plate. Sophomore Julie Dunn (Springfield, IL) drove in the game-winner with an infield hit. Grillo was thrown at the plate trying to score to end the inning.
Senior Missy Bieman (Wingham, Ontario) pitched three innings of no-hit relief to earn her first victory of the season. She moved to 1-1 for the season, striking out one and not allowing a walk. Utah reliever Kristin Arbogast suffered the loss in relief, dropping to 6-7 for the season.
Thanks to a strong pitching performance by junior Heather Brown (Bloomfield, NM), the Orangewomen needed just three hits to knock off the Utes in the day's first game.
Brown tossed her first shutout as a member of the Orangewomen, improving her record to 2-4. Brown went the distance, scattering four hits in seven innings. Her only two strikeouts of the game came in the last inning. Arbogast took the loss for the Utes, striking out four in a complete-game effort.
Lincoln drove in her first career run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth inning to provide all the scoring. Dunn led off the inning with a double to right field. Pinch runner Becky Snyder (Wilkes-Barre, PA) moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by senior Shanna Newell (Fort Edward, NY) and scored on Lincoln's fly ball.
Sophomore Kristen Collins (Stow, MA) had two of the Orangewomen's three hits. She bunted for a single in the third inning and added a double, her first of the season, in the sixth.
Syracuse will face 17th-ranked Nebraska on Wednesday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m. before beginning play in the Tallahassee Democrat Softball Tournament versus Iowa State at 12 p.m. on Friday, March 16.
