Syracuse 7, Rutgers 1
Rutgers 4, Syracuse 0
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Syracuse softball team began its stretch of 10 league games in nine days with a doubleheader split at Rutgers on Saturday, April 24. SU won the first game, 7-1, but the Scarlet Knights came back to take game two, 4-0.
SU is now 19-21 overall and 3-5 in the BIG EAST. Rutgers stands at 23-24 overall and 6-8 in conference action.
Sophomore Alexis Switenko paced the SU offense with five hits and a run batted in on the day. Freshman Courtney Mosch had three hits, two singles and a double, and two runs scored in the opener. Junior Tanya Rose drove in three runs in game one, going 1-for-2 with a walk. Rose also added a base hit in the second game. Sophomore Cassie Morales had two hits, recording a single in each game.
Mosch was the winning pitcher in game one, throwing her 14th complete game of the season. Mosch (13-11) did not allow an earned run, striking out six and walking one. She scattered five hits and retired 13 of the final 14 batters she faced. After allowing an unearned run and three hits in the opening frame, Mosch allowed only three more base runners for the remainder of the game. Brielle Cosentino was the losing pitcher for the Scarlet Knights.
Senior Haley Larsen was the losing pitcher for the Orangewomen. Larsen (6-10) allowed four runs on seven hits, striking out seven and walking three. Leah Black earned the win with her third complete-game shutout of the season. Black (9-9) scattered seven hits and struck out eight without giving up a walk.
Rutgers scored first in the opener, plating an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning. The Scarlet Knights parlayed three infield hits and two SU errors into the first run of the game.
Syracuse tied the game in the top of the second thanks to two Rutgers’ defensive miscues. A single, two errors and a fielder’s choice loaded the bases and Rose drove in the run with a sacrifice fly.
The Orangewomen took the lead in the top of the fourth inning with five runs. Three straight singles, including an RBI infield hit by junior Jaime Grillo gave SU a 2-1 advantage. Rose drove in her second run of the game to give SU a two-run lead, drawing a bases-loaded walk. A wild-pitch allowed the third run of the inning to score, and Switenko drove in another run with an infield hit to the hole at shortstop to make the score 5-1. SU took a five-run advantage on a double steal when the catcher’s throw bounced off the second baseman’s glove into center field, allowing senior Rachel Park to score.
Rose gave Syracuse a 7-1 lead in the fifth inning with a two-out RBI single to right field. Mosch started the inning with her third hit of the game and scored on Rose’s third run batted in of the contest.
The Scarlet Knights scored first in the nightcap as well. Nikki Childress put Rutgers up 1-0 with a two-out single to center field. Brittney Neer gave Rutges a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third, delivering a one-out single with the bases loaded. Crystal Vargas followed with a squeeze bunt to make the score 4-0.
The Orangewomen’s best chance to score in the game came in the first inning. Singles by Rose and Park put runners on the corners with nobody out, but Black was able to retire the next three hitters on a line drive and two strikeouts. SU left seven runners on base, four of them in scoring position.
Syracuse’s game-two loss ended a seven-game winning streak against the Scarlet Knights.
SU returns home to take on Connecticut on Tuesday, April 27 at 2 p.m. The doubleheader was originally scheduled for April 4. The Orangewomen are also at home against Penn State on April 28, Pittsburgh on April 30 and Virginia Tech on May 2.
