Big Hits And Effective Pitching Earn Two Victories For Orange Softball Team

Friday, April 18

Syracuse, N.Y.

2 p.m.

Syracuse University

St. John's

Rachel Tilford won game one with a walk-off home run, the second in SU history.

Big Hits And Effective Pitching Earn Two Victories For Orange Softball Team

4/18/2008 6:40:27 PM | Softball

Game #1 Box Score
Game #2 Box Score
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Senior outfielder Rachel Tilford ended game one in dramatic fashion with a solo, walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to give the Orange a 1-0 victory against St. John's at the SU Softball Stadium on Friday. Syracuse followed with a 2-1 victory for its third BIG EAST sweep of the season and is now 16-23 overall and 7-7 in the conference. The Red Storm goes to 16-31 and 2-14 in the BIG EAST.

"We need victories and we got two big ones today," said head coach Leigh Ross. "We are positioning ourselves to make the BIG EAST tournament. Now we just have to carry this momentum through the final two/three weeks."

Tilford's home run was only the second walk-off in school history – the first came in a 6-5 Syracuse victory against Boston College in 14 innings during the 2002 season. The long ball was Tilford's second of the season and 15^th of her career.

Chanel Roehner struck out a career-high 10 batters for her third shutout of the season.

The Orange received phenomenal pitching from senior Chanel Roehner and sophomore Brittany Gardner. The duo combined for 17 strikeouts, the most during a two game span this season. Roehner whiffed a career-high 10 batters during game one for her 10^th complete game and third shutout of the season. Gardner also went the distance – her team-high 12^th complete game – and struck out seven.

"Our pitchers gave us a chance to win," said associate head coach Kyle Jamieson. "Chanel threw her best game of the year and you could see she was in a groove. Brittany started right were Chanel left off and did everything she needed to do. When you add that with the great defense we got, you are bound to come away with wins."

Roehner cruised through game one, striking out two in the first, one in the second, two in the third, three in the sixth and two in the seventh. She didn't allow a base runner between the third and fifth inning and held St. John's without a hit from the third to the fifth inning.

The senior got her team out of a jam in the top of the ninth when the Red Storm led off with a single. After a fielder's choice out, St. John's senior designated player Lisa Geer lined into a 5-3 double play, setting the table for Tilford.

During the second game, Gardner fought back after allowing a run in the first inning and closed the game by forcing the Red Storm to go three-up-and-three-down in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. She put a stamp on the victory by getting senior leftfielder Bionka King swinging to end the game.

The Orange produced runs in the third and fifth innings. Junior catcher Amy Kelley, who went 3-for-7 during the doubleheader, hit her team-leading ninth double of the season to score junior shortstop Jamie Kelling from second in the third. Kelling went 2-for-6 on the day.

In the fifth, freshman third baseman Hallie Gibbs battled through the count and ended up hitting an RBI double that scored Roehner from first. The two-bagger, which proved to be the winner, was her fourth of the season.

Kelley and Gibbs are tied for the team lead with 21 RBI each. Kelley led the way during game two by going 2-for-3, her 12^th multi-hit game of the season.

Kelling also had her 12^th multi-hit game, which leads the team, of the year when she went 2-for-4 in the first contest.

The Orange welcomes Seton Hall to the SU Softball Stadium at noon on Sunday.