Morales Belts Two Homers in Doubleheader Sweep

Saturday, April 16

Chestnut Hill, Mass.

12 p.m.

Syracuse University

at Boston College

Cassie Morales tied the SU single-game record with four hits in game two versus Boston College.

4/16/2005 4:28:13 PM | Softball

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Junior Cassie Morales went 6-for-8 with two home runs, two doubles and six runs batted in to lead the Syracuse softball team to a doubleheader sweep at Boston College, 8-2 and 4-2. The Orange has won seven straight games, tying a school record, and now stands at 22-12 overall and 8-2 in the BIG EAST. Boston College is 15-17 overall and 3-5 in league play.

Morales went 2-for-4 in game one and tied the Orange’s single-game record with four hits in four at-bats in the nightcap. She hit a two-run home run in each game.

Syracuse hit five home runs in the doubleheader, accounting for eight of the team’s 12 runs.

Of Syracuse’s seven hits in game one, three went for home runs. Senior Shawna Norris hit her team-best seventh long ball of the season, a two-run shot that gave the Orange a 2-1 lead. It was the fourth consecutive doubleheader that Norris has hit a home run. Morales and junior Alexis Switenko hit back-to-back home runs in the third inning. Morales’ two-run shot was her third of the season, while Switenko’s solo long ball was her fourth of the campaign. Switenko went hitless in game two, ending her career-long hitting streak at 12 games. Senior Tiffany Robinson went 3-for-3 with a three singles and two runs scored.

Syracuse used the home run in game two as well. Morales hit a two-run shot in the first inning and senior Tanya Rose hit an opposite field solo home run in the fifth inning to give SU a 3-2 lead. Freshman Chanel Roehner had a pair of singles in game two, while Robinson senior Katie Kaempfer and sophomore Erin Gray each had hits.

Freshman Erin Downey (12-5) was the winning pitcher for the Orange in game one. Downey gave up two runs, only one of which was earned, on three hits. She struck out 10 and walked three. It was Downey’s sixth double-digit strikeout effort of the season, tying the school record set by Tara DiMaggio in 2000. The win improved the rookie’s record to 6-1 in BIG EAST play. Michelle Daly (8-7) was the loser for the Eagles, allowing eight runs, five of them earned, in three and two-thirds innings.

Sophomore Courtney Mosch (9-7) struck out a career-high nine batters to earn the win in game two. She allowed ftwo runs on five hits and did not walk a batter. Britney Thompson took the loss, giving up four runs in four and one-third innings.

The Eagles scored first in the bottom of the opening inning in game one. Jenna Macchi started the inning with a walk and eventually scored on a two-out passed ball.

Syracuse took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second inning when Norris belted a two-run home run to left center that also scored Mosch, who reached on a one-out walk.

The Orange played long ball again in the third inning to take a 5-1 lead. Robinson led off with a single and scored when Morales hit a shot over the left-field fence. Switenko followed with SU’s third homer of the day, a solo shot. It was the fourth time this season Syracuse hit back-to-back home runs and the fifth time it had two home runs in one inning.

Syracuse took an 8-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning. A walk by Norris and a single by Robinson put runners on second and third with two out. Rose hit a check swing grounder toward first, but the ball deflected off the BC first baseman’s glove, allowing a run to score. After Roehner drew a walk, Morales drove in her third and fourth runs of the game with a single down the left-field line.

The Eagles cut the Orange lead to 8-2 in the fourth when Lisa Field hit her first home run of the season, a solo shot to center. It was the first earned run given up by Downey in her last 23 and one-third innings pitched in BIG EAST play. It was also the first home run hit off Downey since March 19, a string of 12 appearances.

Syracuse scored first in the nightcap with two runs in the first inning. Roehner drew a one-out walk and Morales drove in her sixth run of the doubleheader with her second two-run homer of the day.

The Eagles came back in the home half of the third to knot the game at 2-2. A bloop hit and a single off Mosch’s glove put runners on second and third with one out and Kimmy Hopkin delivered a two-run single.

Syracuse went ahead 3-2 in the fifth when Rose belted the Orange’s fifth home run of the doubleheader. It was Rose’s fourth long ball of the season. The Orange tacked on another run in the inning. A single by Roehner, a double by Morales and an intentional walk to Switenko loaded the bases. Mosch drove in the game’s final run with a sacrifice fly.

The Orange is 10 games above .500 for the first time in school history. SU’s 8-2 league record is its best-ever conference start.

Syracuse will play at Fordham on Sunday, April 17 before returning home for three straight doubleheaders. The Orange welcome Cornell on April 20, Villanova on April 22 and Rutgers on April 24.