Syracuse University
vs. Cal Poly (San Diego State Tournament)
Orangewomen Lose Two Heartbreakers at SDSU Tournament
3/6/2004 9:39:53 PM | Softball
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The Syracuse softball team had its losing streak extended to four games with a pair of one-run losses at the San Diego State Tournament on Saturday, March 6. SU lost to Cal Poly, 1-0 in eight innings, and to the host Aztecs, 2-1. The Orangewomen are now 5-10 on the season.
Both losses came in the bottom of the final inning. The Orangewomen have now lost five one-run games, including three in the final at-bat.
The Syracuse offense mustered only six hits and left 10 runners on base, including eight in scoring position. Against Cal Poly, SU left nine on and seven in scoring position. Senior Nikki Lincoln and sophomore Cassie Morales each had two hits on the day. Lincoln accounted for SU’s only RBI with a double in the second inning against San Diego State. Sophomore shortstop Alexis Switenko had a hit and scored a run.
Freshman Courtney Mosch was the losing pitcher against Cal Poly despite allowing only five hits and one run in seven and two-thirds innings. Mosch (3-6) struck out a career-high six batters. Eva Nelson (3-1) was the winner in relief. She did not allow a hit in two innings of work.
Senior Haley Larsen took the loss against the Aztecs. She gave up one earned run and seven hits in six and two-thirds innings. Larsen (2-4) struck out four and did not walk a batter. Celena Velasquez (6-3) was the winner, allowing three hits and striking out five in seven innings.
Cal Poly (9-9) scored the only run in the bottom of the eighth inning using the international tiebreaker. Syracuse quickly erased the tiebreaker runner, throwing her out third on a would-be sacrifice bunt. After a successful sacrifice put a runner on second with two outs, Roni Sparrey delivered a single down the right-field line to score the winning run.
San Diego State (13-11) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning of game two on an error, a single and a wild pitch. The Orangewomen knotted the score at 1-1 in the top of the second inning. Switenko led off with an infield single and was sacrificed to second. Lincoln drove in the run with a double to right-center field.
Both teams were held scoreless until the bottom of the seventh. A two-out RBI double by Janna Kovensky plated the winning run.
Syracuse has one more game remaining at the San Diego State Tournament. SU will get a rematch with Nevada at 12 p.m. eastern time. SU is 0-2 against the Wolf Pack this season.
