Syracuse University
Connecticut
Three School Records Tied or Broken in Twin Bill Split
4/29/2004 6:13:07 PM | Softball
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Freshman pitcher Courtney Mosch tied the Orangewomen’s single-season record for victories, winning her 14th game of the season in a 3-2 victory versus Connecticut in game one of a doubleheader on Thursday, April 29. The Huskies won the second game, 4-3. SU is now 20-26 overall and 4-8 in the BIG EAST, while UConn is 23-21 overall and 6-10 in league play.
Mosch is now 14-13 on the season, tying the mark that Tara DiMaggio set in 2000. She pitched seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits. She struck out two and walked one. Mosch retired the first 11 batters she faced before giving up a two-out single in the fourth inning. She didn’t allow a runner past first base until the Huskies plated two runs in the top of the seventh inning. Mosch was also strong at the plate in game one, belting a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth to give SU a 2-0 advantage. She went 2-for-2 with 2 RBI and a walk in the contest.
Mosch’s record was one of three school records broken or tied on the day. Sophomore Alexis Switenko smacked her ninth home run of the season in the bottom of the seventh inning of game two, tying her own single season record for homers. Switenko had two hits and scored twice in the doubleheader. Sophomore Cassie Morales broke the SU mark for doubles in a season with her 14th two-bagger. Morales had two hits in game two, including a two-run homer, her sixth of the season.
Three other Orangewomen had two hits in the doubleheader. Junior Tanya Rose went 2-for-3 with a walk in the second game, while junior Melissa Kelly went 2-for-3 in game one. Junior Nikki Lincoln had a single in each game. Senior Rachel Park went 1-for-3 in the second game.
Senior Haley Larsen was the pitcher of record for the Orangewomen in the nightcap. Larsen (6-13) pitched three-plus innings, allowing four runs, only two of which were earned, on four hits. She struck out two and walked two. Krista Michalczyk (4-1) was the winner for the Huskies, throwing three and one-third innings of relief. She gave up three runs on six hits and struck out one. Jessica Gurney (15-11), the losing pitcher in game one, picked up her first save in game two, retiring the final two batters of the contest. Mosch pitched four innings of scoreless relief in game two. She allowed four hits, struck out six and walked one.
Neither team could muster much offense in game one, until the bottom of the fourth inning. Following a one-out double by Switenko, Mosch launched a shot to right-center field for the game’s first runs. It was her third long ball of the season. SU added another unearned run in the frame. After two singles and a walk, the UConn shortstop dropped a pop up in short left field allowing the third run to cross the plate.
Mosch made the lead stand up the rest of the way. The Huskies tried to rally in the top of the seventh, plating two runs on a two-out double by Holly Calcagno. UConn had the bases loaded when Mosch induced a ground ball back to the circle for the final out of the game.
The Huskies scored at least one run in each of the first three innings to take a 4-0 lead and held on for the game two win. A two-out walk and a double by Maggie Arbogast made it 1-0 after one inning. An RBI triple by Nikki Ribeiro and an SU error on a missed squeeze attempt put the Huskies ahead 3-0 after two. UConn’s final run scored on another Syracuse miscue. The throw from right field attempting to throw out Mandy Schettini at third after a foul out to right sailed high and allowed Schettini to scamper home.
The SU bats finally broke through in the bottom of the seventh inning, but came up just short. Park ignited the rally with a one-out single. Morales followed with her sixth homer of the season, a two-run shot to right center. Switenko made it 4-3 when she smacked her record-tying long ball over the screen in left-center field. Gurney entered the game for the Huskies and induced two groundouts to end the contest.
Syracuse put a runner on base in all seven innings, but stranded nine runners, eight of them in scoring position. The Huskies left 10 on base, including the bases loaded with one out in the fourth.
The Orangewomen continue their stretch of BIG EAST home games on Friday, April 30 with a 3 p.m. twin bill versus Pittsburgh. The Orangewomen’s final home games of the season are on Sunday, May 2 versus Virginia Tech at noon.
