Syracuse University
Florida Atlantic
Orange Extends Win Streak to Four at FAU
3/15/2010 12:50:59 AM | Softball
Syracuse 2, FAU 1
Syracuse 3, Iowa 2
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Syracuse (10-9) extended its win streak to four games and remained undefeated in the Florida Atlantic Parents Weekend Tournament with wins against FAU, 2-1, and an extra-innings victory against Iowa, 3-2 on Saturday afternoon.
Sophomore Lisaira Daniels continued to lead the Orange, hitting .333 (2-for-6) with a triple, an RBI and a pair of stolen bases through the two games. Freshman Veronica Grant hit .286 (2-for-7) with a double and three stolen bases. Junior Hallie Gibbs had a double and a pair of RBI while sophomore Kelly Saco knocked in the game winning run against Iowa.
Senior Brittany Gardner and freshman Stacy Kuwik combined in the circle in the 2-1 win against FAU. Gardner got the start and the victory, allowing an earned run in 3.0 innings of work while striking out two. Kuwik entered in relief, no-hitting the opposition in 3.0 innings to earn her first career save.
Sophomore ace Jenna Caira pitched a complete game, extra-innings victory against Iowa, one-hitting the Hawkeyes and allowing no earned runs while striking out 10 in 8.0 innings.
Syracuse 2, Florida Atlantic 1
The tournament hosts took an early lead, tallying a run off of one hit in the bottom of the first.
Syracuse answered with a pair of runs off of one hit in the top of the third to seal the win. Junior Rachel Helman led off the frame with a walk, but was thrown out at second on a fielder's choice by Grant. Grant stole second and sophomore Stephanie Watts walked to put the go-ahead run on base. Gibbs clocked a two-out double to right center, scoring both Grant and Watts to give Syracuse a 2-1 lead it would maintain through the seventh.
Syracuse 3, Iowa 2
Grant helped Syracuse to a fast start, putting a run on the board in the bottom of the first. The Temple City, Calif. native led off the inning with a double and stole third. Grant's swipe prompted a throwing error by the catcher, which allowed her to reach home safely and give the Orange an early 1-0 edge.
The Hawkeyes answered with a run in the top of the second, and the tied score held through the bottom of the seventh.
The international tie breaker rule, where the ninth batter due up in the inning begins the frame on second, was instituted immediately in extra innings. Iowa broke the deadlock in the top of the eighth inning, scoring a run off of a Syracuse fielding error to take a 2-1 lead.
The Orange rose to the challenge in its first extra-innings contest of the season, scoring a pair of runs off of one hit in the bottom of the eighth to end the game. Grant was placed on second to begin the frame and was advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Watts. Daniels tripled to left field, scoring Grant to tie the game, 2-2. Iowa intentionally walked both Gibbs and sophomore Lacey Kohl, loading the bases for Saco. Saco hit to the shortstop, allowing enough time for Daniels to reach the plate safely, ending the game in a 3-2 SU victory.
Syracuse will face the Hawkeyes in a rematch on Tuesday, March 16 in Boca Raton, Fla. at 2 p.m. before heading to Clearwater, Fla. to take part in the USF “The Game” Tournament.
