Sunday, March 16
Charleston, S.C.
11 a.m.
Syracuse University
6
vs
5
Binghamton (College of Charleston Classic)
Lindsay Wasek jacked her fifth career home run when she sent a solo shot out of the park in the fifth.
Extra Inning Extravaganza: Orange Prevails Against Binghamton, 6-5
3/16/2008 1:52:56 PM | Softball
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. -- The Syracuse softball team produced two runs in the eighth inning to secure a 6-5 victory against Binghamton on Sunday during the team's final contest at the College of Charleston Classic. The Orange exited the tournament having won four out of five games and is now 7-16. The Bearcats go to 2-12.
"In the last ten games we have won seven and lost three and we are very pleased with going 4-1 this weekend," said associate head coach Kyle Jamieson. "We kept out ERA under two (1.89) for the weekend. We hit the ball hard and we put up some runs on the board and good things are going to happen when you put the pieces together."
Syracuse entered its fourth extra inning of the tournament and appeared to be running out of at-bats after freshman third baseman Hallie Gibbs was robbed on a line drive to second base, but senior centerfielder/pitcher Chanel Roehner reached on an error, allowing junior shortstop Jamie Kelling to score from third. Roehner stole second and came around when senior outfielder Rachel Tilford singled to center.
In the bottom of the inning, the Bearcats produced one run, but sophomore pitcher Brittany Gardner got the last two outs by whiffing senior third baseman Meghan Quinn and inducing a ground out by sophomore pinch hitter Stephanie Kolodziejski.
Juniors Lindsay Wasek and Amy Kelley paced Syracuse with three hits, respectively. Wasek went 3-for-3 with one RBI, while Kelley went 3-for-5 with an RBI.
Roehner and freshman first baseman Tawni Irvine each registered multi-hit games and helped the Orange accumulate 14 hits.
"We are making great progress and now that BIG EAST play is starting soon, we can see that we have come a long way," said head coach Leigh Ross. "At first we weren't putting our offense, defense and pitching together, but now everything is starting to click and we are gaining confidence."
To start the game, freshman leftfielder Rachel Helman set herself up to score by singling to shallow left-center field and then stealing her second base of the season. Roehner sent her second double of the year off the center fielder fence to drive in Helman and put SU up, 1-0.
The Bearcats responded by putting two runners in scoring position and a single by Binghamton freshman catcher Deannie Plemon drove in one run, but the second runner, sophomore shortstop Shannon McLeese, was denied when Helman threw her out at home.
In the top of the third, Kelling, who has hit safely in five straight games, led off with her third double of the season and Helman followed with a base-on-balls. Binghamton junior ace Cyrilla Suker fought back with three straight outs to get her team out of the inning.
Binghamton carried momentum into the bottom of the third and produced its second run of the game thanks to a two-out double, which was just out of reach of a sprinting Tilford, by McLeese. She scored an at-bat later when senior designated player Sara Eppolito singled.
An inning later, SU's defense forced BU to go three-up-three-down with Roehner striking out the last two batters in the inning.
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| Amy Kelley leads the team with a .343 batting average and three home runs |
The long ball was the second of the season for Gibbs and the first since she homered in her very first collegiate at-bat. Kelley now has a team-best three home runs, while Wasek's shot was her first of the season and fifth of her career. Kelley and Wasek's homers were the second back-to-back home runs for Syracuse this season.
The Bearcats responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning when Eppolito doubled off the leftfield fence.
Syracuse threatened with runners at second and third with two outs in the sixth, but a throw by McLeese just barely beat Tilford to first base.
Gibbs made a highlight-reel play to start the bottom of the six when freshman right fielder Brianna Andrews laid down a bunt and Gibbs barehanded it and made a running throw to first base. Wasek made another gem the next at-bat by handling a high hop on a groundball up the middle.
Nothing was doing for the Orange in the top of the seventh, the team threatened with runners on the corners with one out, but junior pitcher Jessica Whitakers produced two fly outs.
Gardner entered the game after Binghamton put runners on first and second with one out. A walk loaded the bases, but Gibbs turned a 5-2-3 doubled play to send the game into extra innings.
Gardner was credited with the victory after pitching 1.2 inning and striking out one. She is now 4-4 on the season. Roehner started the game and threw 6.1 innings, striking out seven.
Suker was given the loss after going four and two-thirds and is 1-6 this season.
Syracuse enjoys a 10 day hiatus before traveling to Binghamton on Wednesday, Mar. 26 at 3 p.m.
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