Orange Splits First BIG EAST Softball Doubleheader

Friday, April 1

Syracuse, N.Y.

2 p.m.

Syracuse University

Connecticut

Tanya Rose belted the 20th homer of her career to lead off the first inning of game two against UConn.

Orange Splits First BIG EAST Softball Doubleheader

4/1/2005 7:16:30 PM | Softball

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse softball team opened BIG EAST play with a doubleheader split versus Connecticut on Friday, April 1 at the SU Softball Stadium. The Huskies (7-14, 1-3) won the first game, 2-0, while the Orange (12-10, 1-1) took game two, 8-5.

Senior Tanya Rose and sophomore Courtney Mosch paced the Syracuse offense with three hits each in the doubleheader. Rose had two doubles, a home run and scored twice. Mosch’s three singles drove in two runs for SU. The duo combined for all three of the Orange’s hits in the first game.

Junior Cassie Morales had two hits, including a double, and drove in a run in the nightcap. Classmate Alexis Switenko also had two hits and an RBI in the game-two victory. Senior Shawna Norris, sophomore Erin Gray and freshman Chanel Roehner each drove in runs in the Syracuse win. Senior Tiffany Robinson contributed two hits.

Freshman pitcher Erin Downey improved to 5-4 on the season with the win in the second game. Downey allowed five runs on seven hits in seven innings. She struck out six and walked two. Downey also struck out the only two batters she faced in game one. Mosch (6-6) was the loser for Syracuse in game one. She gave up only one earned run on seven hits in six and one-third innings. Jessica Gurney was the winner for UConn in game one, holding the Orange to only three hits. She took the loss in relief in the second game, allowing six runs on five hits in an inning and two-thirds.

The loss for Syracuse in the first game snapped a three-game winning streak in conference openers. SU is now 3-2 all-time in its league debuts.

The first game started well for the Orange with Mosch retiring the side in order in the top of the first and Rose starting the home half with a double to center field. SU couldn’t push home the run, however, leaving the first of three runners on base. Mosch started the second with a single, but did not score. That was the Orange’s last hit until the seventh inning when Mosch added another single.

Connecticut plated the only run it would need in the top of the fourth inning. A double by Allie Gendron set up Holly Calcagno’s RBI single. The Huskies threatened again in the fifth, but Mosch induced a double play with the bases loaded to escape unscathed.

The Huskies added an insurance run in the top of the seventh. A leadoff double by Stephanie DiBiase, a ground out and a walk put runners on first and third with one out. Downey came in to pitch for the Orange, striking out the first batter she faced. During the next at-bat, however, a pitch got away from the SU catcher, allowing the second and final run of the game to score. Downey struck out the final batter to prevent any further damage. SU got a two-out hit in the home half of the seventh, but a ground out ended the threat.

It was Rose starting things off again in the second game, but this time she took matters into her own hands, smacking a solo home run to right-center field. It was her second of the season and 20^th of her career, tying her with Switenko for the Orange’s career lead. It was the second time in her career that she hit a leadoff home run.Morales re-started the rally with a one-out single and moved to second on a ground ball. Mosch made it 2-0 Orange with a single up the middle.

The Huskies tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth. Calcagno delivered an RBI single and the second run scored on a wild pitch.

Syracuse erupted for six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Robinson started the inning by reaching on an error, and moved to third on a double by Rose. Roehner than gave the Orange a 3-2 lead with a perfectly executed squeeze bunt. The Huskies did not record an out on the play, putting runners on the corners with nobody out. Morales followed with an RBI double and Switenko made it 5-2 with a run-scoring single. Mosch drove home the fourth run of the inning with a sacrifice fly. Norris pushed the lead to 7-2 with an RBI single and Gray pushed home the Orange’s final run with a double to right-center field.

The Huskies mounted one more rally in the top of the seventh, scoring three times. Suzy de Bary had an RBI single and Gendron drove in two with a bloop single to right field. Downey was able to end the inning by getting the final UConn batter to ground out to third base.

The Orange split its first BIG EAST doubleheader for the third straight season and its first home twin bill for the second straight year. The game-two win put SU back at two games above .500. The Orange hasn’t been below the even point since starting the season 1-2.

Syracuse is slated to host Providence in another league doubleheader on Sunday, April 3 at 12 p.m.