Softball Stays Red Hot; Sweeps Pitt

Wednesday, April 18

Syracuse, N.Y.

3:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

PITTSBURGH

Watts was 2-for-4 with 4 RBI's and two runs scored in game one against Pitt

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

4/18/2012 7:51:29 PM | Softball

Game One | Game Two | Season Stats | Photos

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Dominant pitching and timely hitting helped the Syracuse University softball team (32-10, 9-2) sweep Pittsburgh (23-21, 6-10) by scores of 8-0 and 4-1 on Wednesday at the SU Softball Stadium.

Julie Wambold smacked her conference leading 11th home run of the season in game one, while Stephanie Watts drove in four runs, including a game-ending three run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Game two featured a 10 strikeout performance from Stacy Kuwik, and RBI's from Lisaira Daniels, Lacey Kohl and Jasmine Watson to secure a 4-1 victory.

The Orange is now 9-0 at home this season and has won 22 of its last 24 games overall.

“I like the direction our team is going in right now,” head coach Leigh Ross said. “We are getting quality outings from our pitchers and our bats are starting to find some consistency. It was good to get these two wins today and now we can look forward to Rutgers this weekend.”

Game One: Syracuse 8, Pittsburgh 0 (Six)
Wambold broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third with a lead-off home run to right center field. Later in the inning, Veronica Grant drew a two-out walk, and scored one batter later as Watts roped a double that rolled to the right center field fence.

The Orange then put up three runs in the fifth inning and was helped out by three consecutive fielding errors by the Panthers. Kohl recorded the only RBI of the inning with a looping single that scored Daniels.

After Wambold singled to lead off the sixth, Morgan Nandin walked in the next at-bat. Two batters later, Watts hit a no-doubter over the trees in center field and handed Syracuse the 8-0 mercy rule victory.

Jenna Caira picked up her 20th win on the season and allowed just two hits in six innings of work. She struck out nine of the 20 Pitt batters she faced.

Game Two: Syracuse 4, Pittsburgh 1
Jasmine Watson provided the Orange with a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when her one-out single scored Wambold who walked and Kohl who singled in the previous at-bats.

With one run across in the top of the fifth, Pittsburgh was threatening to tie the game with a runner on third and just one out. Kuwik though, recorded a strikeout and a pop out, sandwiched in between a walk, to get out of the inning ahead 2-1.

Syracuse tacked on two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning as Watts, Daniels and Kohl all laced doubles. Watts led off the inning with a double and scored as Daniels hit a two-bagger in the next at-bat. Kohl then tallied SU's third double of the inning two batters later which scored Daniels.

That would be plenty of run support for Kuwik, who has not allowed an earned run in the her last 34 innings pitched. She has struck out 53 batters in her last five starts and now owns a record of 10-3 with a 1.74 ERA.

The Orange looks to continue momentum with a trio of games this weekend against Rutgers at the SU Softball Stadium. Saturday is a doubleheader with first pitch set for 12:00 p.m., while the finale is Sunday at 12:00 p.m.