Sunday, May 8
SU Softball Stadium
11 a.m.
Syracuse University
5
vs
2
Louisville
Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski
SU Earns Series Sweep on Senior Sunday
5/8/2011 10:45:35 AM | Softball
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Syracuse 5, Louisville 2
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse University softball team defeated Louisville (34-17, 12-7), 5-2, on Senior Sunday to sweep the three-game series. With the win, Syracuse (41-11, 15-5) extended its win streak to 11 games.
Senior Hallie Gibbs went 2-for-3 at the plate, with a homerun, a double, and three RBI. With 15 homers on the season, she now holds the single-season program record for most homeruns. Veronica Grant and Jasmine Watson added to the offensive effort with one RBI a piece.
The Orange quickly retired the Louisville side in the top of the first on Senior Day. In the home half of the inning, SU took an early lead, thanks to a three-run homer to right center from Gibbs. In addition to Gibbs, the long ball scored Lisaira Daniels, who drew a walk in her first at bat, and Lacey Kohl, who had a hard infield single.
The Cardinals would not go silently, however, and threatened to rally in the top of the second. Alicja Wolney blasted a leadoff homer to right center to make it a 3-1 game. Louisville proceeded to load the bases with no outs thanks to three consecutive singles. The Orange came back strong with a 1-2-3 double play and a lineout to Morgan Nandin at shortstop to get out of the jam and maintain the two-run buffer.
In the following inning, Louisville continued to make solid contact against Jenna Caira and once again cut into the SU lead with a RBI single to right field, making it a 3-2 game. With no outs and runners on first and second, Caira dug in to prevent any more damage, tallying a strikeout and forcing two infield groundball outs.
The Orange offense struggled to put any hits together in its next two chances. In the top of the fourth inning, Stacy Kuwik took over in the circle, giving the Cardinals a different look and making her presence known, as she retired the Louisville side in order.
Syracuse played solid defensive to avoid letting the tying run score in the sixth, as the Cardinals got their leadoff batter on with single through the left side. The runner advanced to second on a pass ball and third on a fly out to right. Kuwik and the Orange put together three consecutive outs to stamp out the threat.
The SU bats came to life in the sixth, as Gibbs laced a double to the leftfield wall in her last at bat at SU Softball Stadium. Rachel Helman reached on an error by the pitcher and pinch runner Shirley Daniels advanced to third. With runners on the corners, pinch hitter Watson sent one chopping towards the Louisville shortstop and S. Daniels beat out the throw at the plate to extend SU's lead to 4-2. The Orange added another insurance run on a RBI single to left by Grant. With two outs and the bases loaded, the Cardinals were able to get out of the inning with a high pop up to the second baseman.
Caira reentered in the seventh to finish what she started, retiring the Louisville side in order and securing the 5-2 Mother's Day victory.
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