Syracuse University
vs. #20 Texas A&M (FIU Tournament)
Orangewomen Win Two of Three on Final Day of Spring Trip
3/16/2003 9:49:22 PM | Softball
SU vs. Florida Atlantic
SU vs. Texas A&M
SU vs. UMass
MIAMI, Fla. - The Syracuse softball completed its spring trip by taking two of three games on Sunday, March 16. The Orangewomen defeated Florida Atlantic, 2-1, and lost to 20th-ranked Texas A&M, 9-5, to finish play at the Blue and Gold Classic hosted by Florida International University. The Orangewomen then topped 24th-ranked Massachusetts, 4-2.
The win versus Florida Atlatnic stopped a five-game losing streak for Syracuse (6-12) and a four-game skid in one-run games. The game began on Saturday, but was halted and continued on Sunday due to inclement weather.
SU's win versus the Minutewomen was the first against a ranked team in the program's four-year history.
Sophomore outfielder Tanya Rose led Syracuse at the plate, hitting .333 with a home run and four runs driven in. Rose was named to the Blue and Gold Classic All-Tournament team. Senior Christina Holowich picked up three hits in five at-bats and walked three times. She also drove in a run. Sophomore Katie Kaempfer also had three hits and two runs batted in.
Senior pitcher Tara DiMaggio went the distance versus Florida Atlantic to improve her record to 4-6 on the season. She scattered six hits, striking out five and walking just one. Amanda Morin (6-10) was the losing pitcher, allowing two runs and 10 hits in six innings of work.
SU pounded out 10 hits in the game, including two each by Julie Dunn, Kaempfer and Alexis Switenko.
Syracuse scored first in the bottom of the second inning. A double by Cassie Morales and a single Dunn put runners on first and second. Kaempfer lined a single to left-center field to drive in the run.
Jaime Melton tied the game with a solo home run in the top of the fifth inning, but the Orangewomen came right back to take a 2-1 lead in the home half of the inning. Roseled off with a double and scored the game-winning run on a single by freshman Jennifer Orpitelli.
SU's game with 20th-ranked Texas A&M was also affected by the weather. The game was delayed for an hour and two minutes in the bottom of the fifth inning.
The Aggies took a 4-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Adrian Gregory blooped a double into left-center field. The Orangewomen put on a pitch-out, but the pick-off attempt at third base went into the dugout to score Gregory. After a single and a walk, Jennifer Davis drove in the second run of the inning with a double. Cheryl Fowler followed with an RBI single and Jana James doubled to bring across the fourth run. The Aggies plated three more in the third inning on a three-run home run by Kristin Gunter.
SU scored their first runs of the game in the bottom of the third when Rose hit her second home run of the year, a two-run blast to left field. Syracuse cut the lead to 7-4 in the bottom of the fourth. A single and two straight walks loaded the bases and Kaempfer drew another base on balls to drive in the first run of the inning. Rose drove in her third run of the game with an infield single.
The Aggies' Lindsay Wilhelmson pushed the lead back to 8-4 in the top of the fifth with a solo home run. Rocky Spencer drove in A&M's ninth run with an RBI double in the sixth inning. The Orangewomen plated their fifth run in the bottom of the sixth on two infield hits and an error.
Sophomore Taylor Petersen took the loss for SU, dropping to 1-4 on the season. Petersen allowed four runs on five hits in an inning and two-thirds. She struck out one and walked one. Jessica Slataper (6-7) was the winner for the Aggies. She gave up four runs and two hits in three and one-third innings. She struck out two and walked four.
Junior Haley Larsen earned the complete-game victory against the Minutewomen, her first in an SU uniform. Larsen is now 1-2 on the season. She scattered six hits and allowed two runs, only one of which was earned. Larsen struck out two and walked two.
Holowich and Rachel Park each had two hits for Syracuse. Holowich Rose each drove in a run.
Massachusetts scored an unearned run in the top of the second inning. Nicole Wilson delivered the RBI single. Syracuse tied it in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single Holowich.
The Orangewomen took the lead with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning. The inning appeared to be finished with a pair of fly balls, but miscues by the UMass center fielder allowed both runs to score. Rose drove in the Orangewomen's fourth run of the day in the bottom of the fourth inning with a single to right field.
UMass cut the lead to 4-2 in the top of the fifth inning. Denise Denis led off with a single and moved to third on a pair of groundouts. A wild pitch allowed Denis to cross the plate with the Minutewomen's second run of the game.
Syracuse is off until March 29 when they open BIG EAST play with a doubleheader at Virginia Tech.
