Syracuse University
#rv/21 Tennessee
Comeback Falls Short Against rv/21 Tennessee
2/27/2010 3:20:56 AM | Softball
Tennessee 8, Syracuse 6
Live Chat Transcript
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – rv/21 Tennessee outlasted the Syracuse (2-4) on Friday night at the Cathedral Classic, 8-6. The Orange offense rallied in the later innings, but strong defense helped the Volunteers hang on for the win.
Freshman Morgan Nandin and sophomore Lacey Kohl were the offense leaders for the Orange. Kohl was 2-for-4 with an RBI while Nandin hit 2-for-3 with a run batted in. Sophomore Kelly Saco had a pair of RBI while junior Hallie Gibbs was 1-for-2 with an RBI.
Sophomore ace Jenna Caira pitched the complete seven innings for the Orange, allowing six earned runs while striking out 14, two shy of her career-best mark.
The Volunteers struck early, putting a pair of runs on the board in the top of the first, but Syracuse countered with a run in the bottom half of the inning. A six-run second inning helped to break the game open for Tennessee, but the Orange defense shut them out for the remainder of the contest.
Syracuse quickly began to close the gap, scoring a pair in the bottom of the third and one in the bottom of the fifth to make it 8-4. SU continued to make a comeback in the bottom of the seventh, putting two runs on the board and putting the winning run on base, but a leaping catch by the shortstop halted the comeback and concreted the Tennessee win, 8-6.
The Orange returns to action against 13/14 Texas on Saturday, February 27 at 3 p.m. and faces Oregon State at 6 p.m.
