Orange Softball Extends Winning Streak to Five Games

Wednesday, April 13

Lewiston, N.Y.

3 p.m.

Syracuse University

at Niagara

Courtney Mosch had six hits, including a home run in SU's doubleheader sweep at Niagara. She was also the winning pitcher in game one.

Orange Softball Extends Winning Streak to Five Games

4/13/2005 8:19:59 PM | Softball

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Syracuse softball team won both games of its doubleheader at Niagara on Wednesday, April 13, 5-1 and 8-0 in five innings. The Orange has won five straight games and is now a school-record eight games above .500 at 20-12. The Purple Eagles are now 7-13.

One day after scoring 20 runs on 25 hits in a doubleheader sweep of Providence, the Syracuse offense totaled 13 runs on 24 hits at Niagara. Syracuse has gone 8-1, outscoring its opponents 60-9 in the last nine games.

Sophomore Courtney Mosch paced the SU offense with six hits in seven at-bats in the doubleheader, including two doubles and a home run. She scored three times and notched four RBI. Senior Tiffany Robinson had four hits, drove in a run and scored twice. Senior Shawna Norris went 3-for-6 with two RBI and her team-best sixth home run of the season, while senior Tanya Rose also had three hits and scored two runs scored. Junior Alexis Switenko had three hits and scored twice. Switenko has now hit safely in 11 consecutive games, tying the second-longest streak in school history.

In addition to her heroics at the plate, Mosch was also the winning pitcher in the first game to improve to 8-7. Mosch pitched seven innings, allowing just one run on three hits. She struck out seven and walked one. Freshman Erin Downey (11-5) was the winner in game two with her second consecutive complete-game shutout. Downey struck out 11 and walked one in five innings, giving up a career-low one hit.

Syracuse scored first in game one with three runs in the opening frame. Junior Cassie Morales had an RBI double to put the Orange ahead, 1-0. Mosch added an RBI groundout and Norris made it 3-0 with a run-scoring double. The Purple Eagles cut the lead to 3-1 in the home half of the first on a bases-loaded walk.

SU plated went ahead 4-1 in the second with an unearned run and set the final score with one run on a sacrifice fly by freshman Chanel Roehner in the sixth.

Mosch and Switenko had the only multi-hit games for SU with three and two hits, respectively. Seven of the Orange’s nine batters had at least one hit.

The Orange scored in the first inning again in the nightcap with three runs. SU is now 9-1 this season when scoring at least once in its first at-bat. Rose led off with a triple and scored on a double by Roehner. Mosch knocked in her second run of the day with a single. Sophomore Erin Gray chased home the third run of the inning with a double. The Orange went ahead 4-0 in the third on a two-out RBI single by Robinson.

SU made it 7-0 in the fourth on back-to-back home runs by Mosch and Norris. Mosch hit a two-run shot followed by Norris’ solo homer, her third home run in the last five games. The Orange scored the eighth and final run in the fifth on a run-scoring single by Roehner.

Mosch had three hits and three RBI in game two. Robinson also had three hits in the game. Rose, Roehner and Norris added two hits each.

Syracuse has three eight-run rule victories in the last four games. The two wins improved the Orange’s all-time record against other teams in New York State to 42-14.

The Orange will play two more road doubleheaders during the weekend. SU will face BIG EAST rival Boston College on Saturday, April 16 and Fordham on Sunday, Apirl 17.