Orange Earns Extra-Innings Win

Friday, February 25

Palm Springs, Calif.

8:30 p.m. ET

Syracuse University

Utah

Senior Hallie Gibbs drove in a pair of runs to help Syracuse defeat Utah 4-3 in eight innings.

2/25/2011 11:18:51 PM | Softball

Syracuse 4, Utah 3 (8 inn.)
PDF

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	R	H	E
Utah	0	0	0	2	1	0	0	0	3	5	1
Syracuse	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	4	10	2

Pitching	IP	H	R	E	BB	K
L - Nielson (4-6)	5.0	3	1	0	1	12
W - Caira (5-1)	3.1	0	0	0	1	3

Batting Leaders	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	EB
SU - Helman	4	1	2	0	0	1
SU - Gibbs	4	0	2	2	0	0

Syracuse (8-2) used a 10-5 hit advantage to earn a 4-3 extra-innings victory against Utah (5-7) in its Cathedral Classic opener on Friday afternoon. Freshman Kealy McMullen sealed the victory for the Orange with a pinch-hit RBI single in the bottom of the eighth.

Seniors Rachel Helman and Hallie Gibbs led the Orange offensively, each hitting .500 (2-for-4) on the afternoon. Helman had a double and scored a run while Gibbs drove in a pair of runs. Junior Lisaira Daniels was 1-for-2 with a stolen base and a run scored while sophomore Veronica Grant was 1-for-3 with her 20th career double.

Juniors Lacey Kohl and Kelly Saco and freshman Shirley Daniels each added a hit in the contest with Kohl and Saco both crossing the plate for the Orange.

Junior Jenna Caira earned the win for the Orange in the circle, holding the Utes hitless through 3.1 innings while striking out three.

Syracuse struck first, plating two runs off three hits in the bottom of the second. Helman hit a one-out single to the pitcher and L. Daniels walked to put two aboard. A single to right field by Gibbs drove in Helman and Saco followed with a single to left field, scoring L. Daniels, 2-0.

The Orange added to its edge in the bottom of the third as Kohl knocked a one-out triple into right field and a single up the middle by Gibbs brought her home, 3-0.

The Utes cut the deficit to one in the top of the fourth, scoring two runs off two hits and a pair of errors, 2-1, and evened the playing field with one run off three hits in the top of the fifth, 3-3.

The tie game held through the bottom of the seventh to force the game into extra innings where the international tie breaker rule was instituted. After the Orange defense thwarted the Utah scoring attempt in the top of the eighth, Saco was placed on second in the bottom of the eighth. Junior Stephanie Watts was first the plate, advancing Saco to third with a sacrifice bunt and a single to left field by McMullen drove Saco home in walk-off fashion.

Syracuse continues Cathedral Classic action against 10/11 Hawaii at 11 p.m. ET