Syracuse University
Canisius
Orangewomen Rally for Doubleheader Sweep
4/15/2004 8:32:14 PM | Softball
Syracuse 8, Canisius 7
Syracuse 8, Canisius 0
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse softball team overcame two four-run deficits to defeat Canisius, 8-7, in the first game of a doubleheader at the SU Softball Stadium on Thursday, April 15. The Orangewomen completed the sweep with an 8-0, five-inning win in the nightcap. SU’s two victories evened their overall record at 17-17. The Golden Griffins are now 10-20.
SU trailed 4-0 and 7-3, but plated four runs in the sixth inning to tie the game and then notched the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh to take the game-one victory. Junior Tiffany Robinson was the hero, singling home the game-winning run in SU's final at-bat.
It was a record-setting day for the Orangewomen. Freshman pitcher Courtney Mosch,throwing in her first games since March 21 because of illness, was the winner in both games. She has now won a school-record six consecutive decisions and stands at 11-9 on the season. Mosch did not allow a hit in two innings of relief in the game-one victory. She tossed her fourth shutout of the season in the nightcap, scattering three hits and striking out six. The previous record was five consecutive wins by Taylor Petersen in 2002.
A pair of single-season records were also tied or broken. Junior outfielder Tanya Rose went 2-for-6 with a walk, an RBI and three runs scored. SU’s leadoff hitter has now scored 30 runs this season, the best single-season total in school history. The previous mark was 28 by Cheryl Julicher in 2002.
Sophomore shortstop Alexis Switenko went 1-for-4 with three runs batted in to increase her season RBI total to 27. She is now tied for the SU single-season lead with Julicher’s total from the 2002 season. Switenko drove in a run with a single in the first game and walked twice with the bases loaded in the nightcap.
Robinson had three hits in the doubleheader, including the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh in game one. Robinson also scored twice. Sophomore Cassie Morales also went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and three driven in. Morales hit her fifth home run of the season, a solo shot to right field in the bottom of the fifth of the nightcap that set the score at 8-0 and invoked the eight-run rule.
Senior Rachel Park reached base six times, going 1-for-3 with five walks. She scored three runs and drove in a pair with a bases loaded single in game two. As a team, SU walked a school double-header record 18 times. Freshmen Jen Elderbroom and Erin Gray were each 1-for-3 with an RBI. Gray also plated two runs, including the game-winning tally in game one as a pinch runner. Junior Melissa Kelly had a hit and an RBI.
Beth Enk paced the Golden Griffins with three hits and two runs batted in on the day. Caitlin Lever had two hits and knocked in two, while Jamie Gorczynski added two hits and a run batted in. Canisius took advantage of four SU errors in the first game, including three in the first two innings to score five unearned runs off Syracuse starter Haley Larsen.
Andrea Bunten (5-5) took the loss in the opener. She started the game, was taken out, and then came back in to pitch the seventh. In total, she threw three innings, allowing one run on two hits. She struck out three and walked two. Lindsay Garbacz (3-9) suffered the defeat in game two, after allowing seven runs on six hits and nine walks in two and two-thirds innings.
The Golden Griffins took 4-0 lead in the first game after two innings, plating four unearned runs. Enk drove in the first two runs, while Gorczynski and Lever also collected an RBI each. The Orangewomen cut the lead in half in the third inning on an RBI double by Morales and a single by Switenko. SU trimmed the margin to 4-3 in the fourth inning when Rose was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Canisius seemed to put the game out of reach, taking a 7-3 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth. Tempie Coelho-Freeman tripled in a run in the fifth, while Becky Owen and Lever added RBIs in the sixth. Syracuse roared back in the home half of the inning with four runs on only one hit and two errors to tie the score at 7-7. Back-to-back walks by Elderbroom and Robinson, and a single by Rose loaded the bases. An error, a walk and a wild pitch later, SU had cut the lead to 7-5 with runners on second and third. Morales then hit a line drive to center field that was dropped, allowing the tying runners to cross the plate.
SU won the game in the bottom of the seventh. Kelly led off the inning with a double into the left-field corner. Gray pinch ran and moved to third on a sacrifice by Elderbroom. Robinson was the hero, blooping a single over shortstop to drive in the winner.
It was the Orangewomen’s second comeback of at least four runs this season. SU trailed Delaware, 4-0, after the first inning before coming back to take a 10-6 victory.
Game two was all Syracuse, as the Orangewomen scored four first-inning runs, taking advantage of Canisius’ inability to find the plate. The first four hitters of the inning walked to make it 1-0. Kelly drove in a run with groundout, and Gray and Elderbroom each had run-scoring hits.
SU went ahead 7-0 in the third on a two-run single by Park and another bases-loaded walk by Switenko. Morales finished the game, belting a homer to deep right.
Mosch kept the Griffs bats at bay, retiring nine consecutive batters after allowing a two-out single in the first inning. She gave up harmless singles in the fourth and fifth innings.
The Orangewomen get right back on the field on Friday, April 16 against BIG EAST rival Providence. First pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 11 a.m. SU is 1-3 in league play, while the Firars enter the game 24-12-1 overall mark and a 4-4 BIG EAST record. The Orangewomen defeated Providence, 4-0, on March 21 in the championship game of the Mizuno Bash at the Beach hosted by Delaware State.
