Syracuse University
Pittsburgh
Grant, Caira Lead Orange in Saturday Split
5/1/2010 8:21:30 PM | Softball
Syracuse 8, Pittsburgh 0
Pittsburgh 4, Syracuse 0
PITTSBURGH – Veronica Grant and Jenna Caira set the tone for the Orange (28-21, 10-8) as it split a doubleheader with Pittsburgh (25-21, 9-9) on Saturday, May 1 at Trees Field. Grant hit .429 through the two games – leading the Syracuse offense which outhit the Panthers, 16-8 – while Caira threw her third one-hitter in as many appearances.
The Orange scored eight runs off nine hits to earn a mercy rule victory in the top half of the doubleheader, 8-0, before the Panthers answered with a 4-0 win in game two. The game one victory marked the fifth-consecutive win for SU, a season-best win streak. Game two marked only the third time this season the Orange have been shutout.
The switch to the two spot in the batting order has been beneficial for Grant, who has led the Orange offensively in both doubleheaders in which she has hit second. The Temple City, Calif. native was 3-for-7 with a run scored, a pair of RBI and a stolen base.
Caira continued her dominance in the circle, having held opponents scoreless in her last 19.0 innings pitched. She earned her 16th victory of the season with a one-hit, 13 strikeout performance.
Eight different players collected hits for the Orange through the two games. Caira and freshman Stacy Kuwik were second on the team, both hitting .400 (2-for-5) with a run scored. Junior Hallie Gibbs and sophomores Lisaira Daniels, Lacey Kohl and Stephanie Watts each added a pair of hits on the day.
After a pair of scoreless innings in game one, Syracuse put a run on the board in the top of the third as Grant hit a one-out single to right and stole second. Daniels popped out to second and a throwing error on the Pittsburgh shortstop in an attempt to catch Grant off the bag allowed the speedy freshman to cross the plate, 1-0.
The Orange offense exploded for seven runs in the top of the sixth inning to put the game away, 8-0.
