Syracuse University
Georgetown
Gibbs Leads Orange in Georgetown Doubleheader
4/2/2010 9:55:59 PM | Softball
Georgetown 7, Syracuse 6 (9 innings)
Georgetown 8, Syracuse 4
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Syracuse (14-15, 0-2) dropped a doubleheader to Georgetown (14-16, 4-1) on Friday afternoon at Guy Mason Field in Washington, D.C. Game one of the series extended to nine innings, with the Hoyas emerging victorious, 7-6, before the hosts took game two, 8-4.
Junior Hallie Gibbs exploded offensively, batting .571 (4-for-7) with a double while knocking in six runs through the two games. Freshman Morgan Nandin hit .667 (2-for-3) with a double while classmate Veronica Grant batted .333 (3-for-9) with three doubles and a trio of runs scored.
Sophomores Stephanie Watts and Jenna Caira also hit .333 through the two games. Watts was 2-for-6 with a double, a triple and had a pair of RBI while Caira went 1-for-3 with a double.
Sophomore Lacey Kohl hit .286 (2-for-7), sending her first home run of the season over the left field fence in game one. Sophomore Lisaira Daniels and junior Rachel Helman also registered a pair of hits each while freshman Stacy Kuwik had one.
All four pitchers on the Orange staff made appearances through the two games. Caira started game one, striking out six through 3.1 innings. Kuwik entered in relief, allowing a pair of earned runs while striking out six in 5.0 innings.
Senior Brittany Gardner started game two, allowing five runs through 5.0 innings before Sagnelli entered in relief, allowing two runs in 1.0 innings.
Syracuse got off to a fast start in game one, using a pair of hits and an error to put two runs on the board in the top of the first. Grant led off the game with a double to right center and advanced to third on a ground out by Helman. Daniels walked and stole second before Gibbs singled to left center, driving in a pair of runs.
Georgetown put a pair of runs on the board in the bottom of the second to tie the game but the Orange quickly recaptured the lead, exploding for four runs off of five hits in the top of the third. Helman led off the frame with a single to right field, but was thrown out at second on a fielder's choice by Watts. Watts stole second and Daniels singled to the shortstop, giving SU runners on the corners with one out. Daniels stole second before Gibbs came through again, doubling down the left field line to score a pair. Kohl tallied the other two runs of the inning, hitting her first home run of the season over the left field fence to give Syracuse a 6-2 edge.
The Hoyas began to mount their comeback in the bottom of the third, scoring a pair of runs off a hit to make it 6-4. The hosts put a run on the board in the bottom of the fourth to cut the deficit to one, 6-5, and scored the tying run in the bottom of the seventh.
After a scoreless eighth inning, Georgetown scored the winning run off of a hit in the bottom of the ninth to take the first game, 7-6.
The Hoyas carried their momentum into game two, scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Syracuse evened the score with a pair of runs off of three hits in the top of the third. Back-to-back one out doubles by Nandin and Grant put the tying run on board for the Orange. Watts rose to the challenge, sending a two-out double to left field, making it 2-2.
Georgetown reclaimed the lead, scoring a run in the bottom of the third and fourth to make it 4-2. Syracuse tied the score again, notching a pair of runs off of three hits in the top of the fifth. Grant led off the inning with a double to left field, Helman singled and Watts walked to load the bases. Gibbs rose to the challenge once again, blasting a two out single down the left field line to tie the game at four.
The Hoyas quickly but the game away, scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a lead it would never relinquish. GU tallied a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth, producing the final, 8-4.
Syracuse concludes it three-game series with Georgetown tomorrow at Guy Mason Field with first pitch set for 11 a.m.
