Thursday, May 8
Louisville, Ky.
10 a.m.
Syracuse University
5
vs
6
Connecticut
Rachel Helman became only the second Orange in BIG EAST Championship history to tally three hits.
BIG EAST Championship Extra Inning Battle
5/8/2008 5:21:11 PM | Softball
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The sixth-seeded Orange softball team took third-seeded Connecticut to nine innings, before the Huskies prevailed, 6-5 at the BIG EAST Championship on Thursday. Freshman leftfielder Rachel Helman tied a Syracuse BIG EAST Championship record with three hits and freshman third baseman Hallie Gibbs set the standard with three RBI. The Syracuse concluded its season with a 21-32 record, while Connecticut advances with a 28-21 mark.
"Our team has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of," said head coach Leigh Ross. "They really played well today and shocked some people who weren't really giving us a chance. This team should be proud of what they've done and proud that they represent Syracuse both on the field and in the classroom."
Senior center fielder Chanel Roehner joined Helman with a multi-hit game by going 2-for-5 with a run scored. Junior catcher Amy Kelley produced her team-leading 32nd RBI and scored her 19th run of the season.
Junior second baseman Lindsay Wasek also tallied an RBI and junior shortstop Jamie Kelling scored a run.
After the Orange stranded Kelling in top of the first, the Syracuse defense escaped the bottom half of the inning when UConn centerfielder and BIG EAST Player of the Year Micah Truax grounded to Wasek with runners on the corners. Wasek's throw home was high, but a stellar tag by Kelley got Huskies shortstop Jillian Ortega at home. Kelley then fired to Gibbs, who tagged a sliding Danielle Del Ponte at third for the final out.
Both teams cruised through the second inning and Helman produced the Orange's first hit of the day when she singled up the middle in the third.
UConn rallied in the bottom of the third when Ortega, an All-BIG EAST First Team selection, singled to centerfield to advance pinch runner Liz Gallinaro to third base. Del Ponte followed with a three-run jack to left-center and gave the Huskies a 3-0 lead.
Syracuse broke through with a single up the middle by Wasek with two outs to score Kelley from third. Kelley and senior right fielder Rachel Tilford both reached on errors. UConn escaped the inning without any more damage being down as Huskies pitcher Tricia Sullivan induced a ground ball to third base.
The defense carried the momentum into the bottom of the fourth as sophomore pitcher Brittany Gardner retired UConn's lineup in order and tallied two strikeouts in the inning.
A two-out single to right field by Roehner extended the fifth and advanced Kelling to third base and a single up the middle by Kelley drove in Syracuse's second run of the day.
As the rain continued to fall, the Orange found lighting when Gibbs followed Kelley with her seventh home run of the season, a three-run home run. The home run was the fifth all-time by Syracuse in the BIG EAST Championship – three out of the five home runs have been freshman.
Connecticut designated player cut SU's two-run lead in half with a two-out solo shot over the right-field fence.
Two hours and 32 minutes had passed because of rain showers before both teams retook the field and shined defensively. Gardner sat down Truax to lead off the bottom of the seventh and a catch by Gibbs while leaning into the Huskies dugout for the second out. A tiny pop out to Kelling ended the inning and put the bats into the Orange and the top of the lineup.
Nothing was doing for SU in the top of the seventh and a single up the middle by Allie Gendron with two outs scored first baseman Justyne Roy and tied the score, 5-5, sending the game into extra innings.
Kelling produced the defensive play of the game with a diving catch to her left to rob Huskies right fielder Melissa Lucas of a lead off single. The out led to three-up-three down.
Syracuse threatened in the ninth when Helman and Roehner singled. Kelley was hit by a pitch, sending Gibbs to the plate with two outs and the bases full. The freshman went opposite way by a bobbling catch by Lucas got her team out of the jam.
Ortega came to the plate in the bottom of the ninth with one out and a runner on second base. The All-BIG EAST First Team selection singled to center field to advance Roy to third base. A wild pitch caused Roy to head to home and Kelley's throw to the plate seemed to be on time, but Roy's knee knocked the ball loose and gave the Huskies a pass to the second round, 6-5.
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