ORANGEWOMEN SOFTBALL SPLITS DOUBLEHEADER WITH PENN STATE
4/24/2001 11:04:04 AM | Softball
Syracuse is now 13-22 on the year, while Penn State stands at 28-20.
The Orangewomen jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second game with a run in the second inning. Freshman catcher Jaime Grillo (Brentwood, NY) smacked a double down the right field line and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Nikki Lincoln (Baton Rouge, LA). Newell then drove in the run with a double to right field.
Penn State answered in the top of the fourth on a two-out RBI single by Jenny Briz. Both pitchers held the opposing offenses in check until the Orangewomen plated the winning run in the eighth.
Grillo again ignited the rally with a double to the gap in left-centerfield. Sophomore Julie Van Deusen (Bear, DE) pinch ran and moved to third on another sacrifice by Lincoln. Newell then flied to centerfield, and Van Deusen beat the throw to the plate to give Syracuse the win.
Junior Heather Brown (Bloomfield, NM) won her fourth game in her last six decisions with the complete-game effort. She scattered nine hits and struck out three to improve to 7-10 on the season.
Sophomore Tara DiMaggio (Hopewell Junction, NY) also had two hits for the Orangewomen. Sophomores Christina Holowich (Castro Valley, CA) and Jackie Herrman (Warren, OH), and Lincoln also collected hits.
The Orangewomen took a 2-1 lead into the seventh inning of the opener, but the Nittany Lions exploded for six runs in the frame to take the 7-2 victory. The game snapped a string of 12 consecutive complete games by Syracuse pitchers.
Penn State plated an unearned run in the top of the first to take the early 1-0 lead. Syracuse scored its only two runs of the game in the first inning. Holowich led off the game with a one of her two hits in the game, but was forced on a fielder's choice by sophomore Kristen Collins (Stow, MA). Senior Missy Bieman (Wingham, Ontario) provided the big blow with a two-out home run down the right-field line. It was Bieman's third home run of the season.
The Nittany Lions tied the game in the seventh when Jennifer Tripken took the first pitch of the inning over the right-field fence for her second home run of the season. The flood gates opened from there as Penn State scored five more times on two hits and one Syracuse error. Adrienne Manzo tripled in a run for Penn State. Four of the six runs in the inning were unearned.
DiMaggio took the loss for the Orangewomen, allowing seven runs, three of which were earned, on nine hits in 6.2 innings of work. She struck out six and walked four. DiMaggio is now 5-10 on the season.
Syracuse continues its busy week of play with a doubleheader versus Ivy League Champion Cornell on Thursday, April 26. The first game gets underway at 4 p.m.
