Gibbs Grand Slam Helps Orange Sail to Victory

Sunday, March 13

Charlottesville, VA

9 a.m.

Syracuse University

Virginia

Junior Hallie Gibbs hit her second career grand slam in SU's 13-8 victory against Virginia

3/13/2011 8:09:24 AM | Softball

Syracuse 13, Virginia 8
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	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Virginia	4	0	0	0	2	2	0	8	5	3
Syracuse	3	0	5	4	1	0	X	13	7	3

Pitching	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K
L - Coates	2.1	2	4	4	5	1
W - Caira (11-5)	6.0	5	8	6	5	9

Batting Leaders	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO
SU - GIbbs	2	1	2	7	2	0
UVA- Pittman	3	2	3	1	1	0

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Junior third baseman Hallie Gibbs recorded two hits and seven RBI to lead No. 25 Syracuse (17-5) to 13-8 victory against Virginia (14-10) in the first game on Day Two at the UVA Spring Break Invitational.

With seven RBI, Gibbs set a new personal and program best in the outing. The previous record was six, set by Rachel Tilford in 2007 against Western Carolina. Gibbs was 2-for-2 at the plate, including a grand slam. It was the first grand slam for SU since Kelly Saco hit one on March 30, 2009 against Connecticut.

Stephanie Watts also contributed to the offensive effort with one hit and three RBI. Saco added a hit and two RBI of her own.

The Orange struggled early in the outing, as the squad committed three errors in the top of the first to help Virginia take a quick 4-0 lead.

SU went to work in the bottom of the inning to pull within one. Watts led off, becoming Syracuse's first base runner thanks to a catcher's interference call on Virginia. Lisaira Daniels followed with a walk and Lacey Kohl was hit by a pitch. Gibbs nailed a deep fly to score Watts before Saco recorded a two-run single to make it a 4-3 game.

Pitcher Jenna Caira and the Orange retired the UVA side in order in the top of the third. Rachel Helman led off the inning for SU with a single to right center and Veronica Grant put down the sacrifice bunt to move her over. Morgan Nandin was hit by a pitch and Shirley Daniels walked to load the bases. After UVA's second pitching change of the game, Watts blasted a liner off the leftfield wall for a stand-up double, scoring all three runners and putting SU on top, 6-4. Gibbs followed with a two-base shot into the leftfield corner to bring Watts and L. Daniels home.

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth, Gibbs stepped to the delivered with her second career grand slam, putting the Orange up, 12-4.

The Cavaliers responded in the top of the fifth, as Marcy Bowdren hit a two-run homer to close SU's buffer to six, but Syracuse got one back in the bottom of the inning when Helman scored on a fielding error by the Virginia shortstop.

UVA added two runs in the top of the sixth, but strong defensive work allowed the Orange to take the game, 13-8.