Syracuse University
vs. #13 CS-Fullerton (Fiesta Bowl Tournament)
Orangewomen Knock Off 13th-Ranked Cal State Fullerton in Final Game of Fiesta Bowl Classic
2/15/2004 5:28:28 PM | Softball
New Mexico Box Score
Cal State Fullerton Box Score
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Orangewomen softball team knocked off 13th-ranked Cal State Fullerton, 6-3, in its final game of the Fiesta Bowl Classic hosted by Arizona State. The win snapped SU’s season-opening five-game losing streak. Earlier in the day, SU lost to New Mexico, 4-3.
The Titans are the highest-ranked team that Syracuse has ever defeated. SU now has two wins all-time against top-25 teams.
Freshman Courtney Mosch earned her first career victory, throwing the Orangewomen’s first complete game of the season. Mosch gave up three runs, only one of which was earned, and struck out five. She allowed just five hits, scattering three over the final six innings of work. Mosch was also productive at the plate against the Titans, going 1-for-3 with a walk and and RBI double, her first career hit. Brooke Weekley took the loss for the Titans.
Junior Tiffany Robinson and sophomore Alexis Switenko each had two hits and drove in a run for the Orangewomen against Cal State Fullerton. Switenko also scored twice in the game. Sophomore Cassie Morales had a hit, an RBI and reached base three times on walks. Junior catcher Jaime Grillo had her first hit of the season, the game-winning single in the first inning. Junior Tanya Rose had a hit, a run and walked twice.
Cal State Fullerton tallied two runs in the top of the first of the second game on two singles, a walk and an error. Candice Baker drove in a run with a single.
The Orangewomen sent all nine hitters to the plate in the bottom of the inning, scoring four runs. Switenko drove in her second run of the day, and sixth of the tournament, with a single in the bottom of the first. Morales followed with her second RBI of the day, a line drive single to left to score Robinson and tie the game at 2-2. A walk by Erin Gray loaded the bases and Mosch drew a walk to drive SU’s third run in her first career at-bat. Grillo followed with an RBI single.
The Orangewomen made it 5-2 in the bottom of the third. Mosch doubled for her first career hit and was lifted for pinch runner Lindsay Van Gorden. A two-out walk by Rose put runners on the corners and Robinson delivered her first career RBI with a sharp single to left.
Syracuse tacked on another run in the fourth inning. Two walks and a single loaded the bases for Melissa Kelly who delivered an RBI with her first career hit to increase the SU lead to 6-2.
Mosch pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the sixth. After a single and two walks brought the tying runner to the plate with two outs, Mosch got Jenna Wheeler swinging on a 1-2 pitch.
The Titans plated a run of the seventh inning without hitting a ball out of the infield. Two errors and an infield hit loaded the bases, and a fielder’s choice scored the run. The game ended when Robinson caught a fly ball and gunned down the Fullerton runner trying to tag from third base.
The Orangewomen lost its first game of the day, 4-3, to New Mexico. Syracuse led, 3-2, in the sixth inning, but the Lobos were able to come back and tie the game in the sixth and plate the winning run in the seventh.
Senior Haley Larsen took the loss for the Orangewomen against the Lobos. Larsen (0-3) threw six-plus innings, allowing four runs, three of which were earned, on eight hits. She struck out five and walked four. Iraina Ogas was the complete-game winner for New Mexico.
Robinson led the offense with two hits. Switenko smacked her second home run of the tournament, a solo shot in the fourth inning. Morales and senior Nikki Lincoln also drove in runs for the Orangewomen.
The Lobos scored first in the home half of the second inning. Robyn Hutson led off the inning with a solo homer and Stephanie Kennedy delivered a bases-loaded ground out that plated the second run.
Switenko cut the deficit to 2-1 with a solo home run in the fourth inning. It was Switenko’s second home run and fifth RBI of the tournament. Switenko’s 11th career home run puts her in sole possession of second place on the SU all-time list.
The Orangewomen played small ball to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth inning. Robinson led off with a bunt single and then beat out the play at second base on Rachel Park’s sacrifice bunt. Switenko then sacrificed the runners to second and third, and Morales followed with a squeeze bunt to tie the score. Lincoln drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly to left.
The Lobos tied the score in the bottom of the sixth. Sabrina Sandberg led off with a double and was sacrificed to third. After a groundout, Kennedy drove in her second run of the game with a bloop single to right field. New Mexico plated the winning run in the bottom of the seventh. Ogas led off with a single and was lifted for a pinch runner. Cassie Chavez bunted the runner to second base and Hutson was walked by Mosch, who had come on in relief, to put two on with one out. A walk by pinch hitter Kelli Elderbrock loaded the bases. The winning run scored when Sandberg reached on a Syracuse infield error.
Syracuse travels to Thibodeaux, La. next weekend to play in the Mardi Gras Mambo hosted by Nicholls State. The Orangewomen play a single, non-tournament game with Nicholls State on Friday, February 20.
