Coach Ross, Orange Get First Win

Friday, February 23

Miami, Fla.

9 a.m.

Syracuse University

vs. Marist (adidas-Golden Panther Invitational)

Leigh Ross earned her first win as head coach of the Orange

2/23/2007 4:05:17 PM | Softball

Marist Box Score

Purdue Box Score

MIAMI – The Syracuse University softball team (1-6) went 1-1 today at the adidas-Golden Panther Invitational hosted by Florida International University. The Orange defeated the Marist Red Foxes, 5-2, in extra innings for SU’s first win of the young season. Syracuse pounded out eight hits and allowed only three earned runs, but lost to the Purdue Boilermakers, 5-1, in the day’s second contest.

In the first game, freshman pitcher Brittany Gardner struck out nine Red Foxes to earn her first career win.

Marist struck first in the fourth when Lindsey Kinel tripled to right field and scored on a wild pitch three batters later.

Syracuse responded the next inning and tied the game at 1-1. Senior Erin Gray led off the inning with a single to first base and advanced to second on a Kim Weinstein ground out. Sophomore Keri Casas advanced Gray to third with a single to center field and sophomore Tonye McCorkle recorded her first RBI of the season with a single down the right-field line.

The two teams remained tied at 1-1 and went to extra innings where the Orange benefited from some sloppy Red Fox defense to score four unearned runs in the top of the eighth. Freshman Ev Anderson, McCorkle, junior Rachel Tilford and sophomore Nicole Miller scored on a muffed throw, an error by the short stop, a throwing error by the right fielder and a passed ball, respectively.

Marist scored one run in the bottom of the eighth, but SU was able to come away with its first victory of 2007, 5-2.

The Red Foxes’ Megan Rigos stuck out 10 Orange in her eight innings of work.

In the second game, the Orange only allowed three earned runs and junior pitcher Chanel Roehner, making her first career start, struck out seven, but the SU offense only managed one run in a 5-1 setback.

Purdue scored an unearned run in the first and second innings to take a 2-0 lead.

SU got one of the runs back in the bottom of the second. Gray singled through the left side and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Heather Kim. Sophomore Amy Kelly advanced Gray to third where Gray scored on an error by the Boilermaker shortstop.

Purdue scored two more runs in the third to expand the margin to 4-1. The Orange had runners on first and second with no outs in the bottom of the third, but a double play killed the rally.

A Katie Mitchell home run to center field put the score at 5-1 after the top half of the fourth.

In the fifth, Syracuse had runners at first and second with one out, but a strikeout and a groundball ended the inning.

Gray, Roehner and Tilford and Anderson all had two hits for Syracuse.

Candace Curtis went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base for the Boilermakers. Brook Baker allowed no earned runs and struck out three in her seven innings of work.

The Orange will continue play at the tournament on Sat, Feb. 23. SU will take on Texas State at 1 p.m. and 8/11 Stanford at 3 p.m.