Syracuse University
Pittsburgh
Robinson Completes Four-Run Comeback With First Home Run
4/30/2004 9:11:45 PM | Softball
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Junior Tiffany Robinson belted a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Orangewomen a come-from-behind 6-5 victory and a doubleheader sweep of Pittsburgh on Friday, April 30. Syracuse won the first game 8-7 and improved to 22-26 overall and 6-8 in the BIG EAST. The Panthers now stand at 20-31 overall 3-12 in the conference.
Robinson’s first career home run came on a 3-2 pitch. Robinson was nearly retired on the preceding pitch when the Pittsburgh left fielder just missed making a diving catch in foul ground. It was the second time in school history that the Orangewomen hit a walk-off home run in extra innings. The first was a 14-inning win against Boston College in 2002.
The home run capped SU’s third four-run comeback of the season. The Orangewomen trailed the Panthers, 4-0, after the top of the fourth, but plated two in the fourth and two in the fifth to force extra innings. Pittsburgh scored a run in the top of the ninth on two singles, a bunt and a sacrifice fly, but a leadoff walk by junior Katie Kaempfer put the tying run on base. Following an illegal pitch, the next two Orangewomen were retired, setting up Robinson’s heroics.
Robinson went 2-for-5 with a double, home run and career-best four runs driven in game two. She also had a hit and a run scored in the opener. Junior Tanya Rose had three hits in the doubleheader, including a double and a home run. She scored three runs and was walked three times, including twice intentionally.
Sophomore Cassie Morales had a big first game, going 2-for-3 with four runs batted in, including a bases-loaded double that plated three. Morales now has 32 runs batted in this season, joining classmate Alexis Switenko as the only two players in SU history to drive in 30-or-more runs in one season. Switenko had two hits, including her second triple of the season, and scored twice on the day. Kaemfper reached base four times in game two, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Junior Melissa Kelly had two hits and drove in two, while junior catcher Jaime Grillo had a hit and knocked in two in the opener.
Freshman Courtney Mosch was the winning pitcher in both games to increase her record to 16-13. Mosch is now in sole possession of first on the SU single-season wins list, passing Tara DiMaggio’s total of 14 set in 2000. Mosch threw a complete-game in the opener, allowing three earned runs and six hits. She struck out four and walked three. She tossed one inning of relief in the nightcap. Senior Haley Larsen had a strong start in the second game, going eight innings. She allowed five runs, only two of which were earned, striking out five and walking four.
Meghan Bostick (10-16) was the losing pitcher in the first game. She went three and one-third innings, giving up eight runs, four earned. She struck out three and walked two. Laura Belardinelli (10-13) was the loser in game two, throwing all eight and two-thirds innings. She gave up six runs, five earned, on 10 hits. She struck out six and walked eight.
Francesca DiMaria led the Panther offense with two hits, two runs and four driven in. Heather Connor had three hits in the opener and four for the doubleheader, driving in four runs. Beth Gill and Heather Andrews each had two hits in the nightcap.
Syracuse plated the first run of the day, manufacturing a run in the bottom of the first inning in the opener. Rose led off with a double, was bunted to third by senior Rachel Park and scored on a sacrifice fly by Morales. Pittsburgh came back to take a 3-1 lead in the second inning on a RBI double by Gill and a two-RBI infield hit by DiMaria.
Rose cut the lead to 3-2 with a solo home run in the third inning. The Orangewomen scored six runs in the bottom of the fourth to take an 8-3 lead. Kelly drove in the tying run and Grillo put SU ahead with a two-run single. Morales broke it open with a three-RBI double.
Pittsburgh chipped away with two in the top of the fifth. Connor had an RBI single in the inning. The Panthers made the game interesting in the top of the seventh. A one-out walk and an error put runners on first and second for Connor, who delivered a two-run double. With the tying run on second base, Mosch was able to induce a ground ball right back to the mound to end the game.
The Panthers opened the scoring in game two with two runs in the third and two in the fourth. Connor delivered an RBI in the third, while DiMaria doubled in both runs in the fourth.
Syracuse began its comeback in the fourth. A walk, a single and an error loaded the bases with no outs. Robinson smacked a single back through the middle to drive in two runs and cut the lead in half. SU tied the game in the fifth inning with Kaempfer and Kelly contributing RBI singles.
Neither team could push home a run until a sacrifice fly by Lisa McGregor in the top of the ninth. After getting out of the inning, the Orangewomen won it in the bottom of the ninth with Robinson’s heroics.
The two wins marked SU’s first BIG EAST doubleheader sweep of the season. The Orangewomen have won three of their last four. They will try to continue their streak against Virginia Tech on Sunday, May 2 at the SU Softball Stadium. The doubleheader starts at noon. It will mark the final home regular-season appearance for seniors Park, Larsen and Nikki Lincoln.
