Syracuse University
Notre Dame
Orangewomen Go Deep Three Times in Loss
4/19/2003 4:56:19 PM | Softball
Game One (UND 10, SU 1)
Game Two (UND 6, SU 4)
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Despite back-to-back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the third inning of game two, the Syracuse softball team lost both ends of a doubleheader to Notre Dame, 10-1 in six innings and 6-4. The Orangewomen are now 12-20 overall and 4-8 in the BIG EAST, while the Fighting Irish improved to 26-11 overall and 10-0 in the conference.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the third inning of the nightcap, the Orangewomen scored four times on three-straight home runs by junior Rachel Park, freshman Jennifer Orpitelli and freshman Alexis Switenko. It was the first time in school history that SU hit three consecutive home runs and the third and fourth times the Orangewomen went back-to-back. Orpitelli and Switenko have hit homers in consecutive at-bats three times this season.
Park's two-run home run was one of a team-best three hits in the doubleheader. She went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI on the day. She also drew to walks on the day. Orpitelli was the only other Orangewoman with two hits on the day. Switenko now has seven hits during BIG EAST play, six of them are home runs. She leads the team overall with eight home runs and 22 runs batted in.
Senior pitcher Tara DiMaggio was the losing pitcher for SU in both games. DiMaggio (8-11)started the first game, going two and one-third innings and allowing four runs. She struck out one and walked three. DiMaggio came on in relief in the nightcap, allowing two runs on five hits with three strikeouts in three innings of work. Notre Dame's Carrie Wisen (4-2) earned both victories in relief for the Fighting Irish, allowing only two hits in eight and one-third innings.
Notre Dame has now won 16 consecutive games.
Syracuse scored first in the bottom of the first inning of game one. Park drew a one-out walk and went to second on a single by Orpitelli. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and Park scored SU's only run of the game on another wild pitch. Two more walks followed to load the bases, but the Orangewomen couldn't push home another run.
Notre Dame scored twice in the top of the next inning on an RBI triple by Nicole deFau and a sacrifice fly by Megan Ciolli. The Fighting Irish put the game out of reach with a five spot in the third inning, all on home runs. Meagan Ruthrauff hit a solo shot to left center with one out. Two singles set the table for Liz Hartmann's three-run home run which was immediately followed by solo homer by Mallorie Lenn. Notre Dame scored once more in the third and two in the sixth on an RBI double by Andrea Loman.
The Fighting Irish scored first in the nightcap on an infield single by Andria Bledsoe. The Orangewomen took a 4-1 lead in the third on their home run binge. The inning started with a double by senior Kristen Collins, which was followed by the long balls from Park, Orpitelli and Switenko. Wisen came on in relief and allowed SU just one more hit the rest of the game.
The lead was short-lived, however, as the Irish tied the game with the first three batters of the fourth. Two singles and Lenn's three-run opposite-field homer tied the game at 4-4. Notre Dame took the lead for good on an RBI single by Bledsoe. The Irish scored the final run in the seventh without the benefit of a hit. An error, a stolen base and two wild pitches gave UND its sixth run.
The Orangewomen have a pair of non-conference doubleheaders at home this upcoming week. SU hosts Cornell at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23 and Siena at 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 24.
