Syracuse University
5-8
Auburn
15-3-1
SU Swept On Day Two Of Citrus Classic
3/1/2014 8:50:00 PM | Softball
Syracuse Handed 10-1 Loss By #25 Auburn, Losses To Bradley 6-5 in Final At Bat
Auburn Box Score | Auburn Blog Replay | Bradley Box Score | Bradley Blog Replay
ORLANDO - The Syracuse softball team was swept by No. 25/RV Auburn and Bradley in its second day of competition at the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic on Saturday, March 1 in Orlando, Fla.
Auburn (15-3-1) broke open the game, scoring eight runs in the final three innings to turn a 2-1 lead into a 10-1 advantage for the final tally. Against Bradley (6-12), Syracuse (5-9) scored twice in the top of the seventh to tie the game before surrendering one final run in the bottom of the inning to lose 6-5.
Sophomore Danielle Chitkowski provided the run for Syracuse in the opener with a homer in fourth inning, while junior Mary Dombrowski was a perfect 3-for-3 with a double. Taking the loss was freshman Sydney O'Hara, who allowed two runs on two hits in four innings of work.
In the first inning, O'Hara hit one batter and walked three of the next four, giving Auburn a 1-0 lead on no hits. The Tigers extended their advantage in the fourth to 2-0 after Kelsey Bogaards drew a leadoff walk and scored on Tiffany Howard's double to the left center gap that rolled all the way to the wall.
Chitkowski got one back for the Orange in the bottom half with her solo shot to straight away center on a 3-0 count. Sophomore Riley Johnson attempted to make it back-to-back homers, but her hit fell short of the fence as the center fielder made the grab on the warning track.
Over the final three innings the Tigers added eight runs for the final score.
After getting the first batter of the fifth to fly out, freshman Christina Clermont allowed a single, then issued four straight walks as two runs came across to score. A wild pitch to the next batter made it 5-1 Tigers. Auburn added three more runs in the sixth, with the first two coming on a pair of errors in the inning. The last three runs of the game all came on ground outs – the final two in the seventh.
In the nightcap, Syracuse led 3-1 before a four-run spurt turned the tables and gave the Braves a 5-3 lead. SU tied the game in the seventh with run-scoring doubles by Chitkowski and Johnson, setting up the dramatics in the bottom of the frame.
Alyson Clemente led off with a single off the glove of an out-stretched sophomore Lindsey Larkin. She moved all the way to third on a sacrifice bunt by Shannon King plus an error on the play, and sprinted home on a wild pitch to the next batter to end it.
Four Syracuse players had multi-hit games, led by 2-for-3 efforts by Johnson, Watson and freshman Alyssa Dewes while Chitkowski was 2-for-4. The latter three all had one run batted in. Daniels went 1-for-2 with two RBI and a stolen base.
Syracuse and Bradley each scored runs in the second inning as the Orange jumped out to a 2-1 lead. SU loaded the bases with one out when Dewes smoked a single to right field to plate the game's first run. Daniels followed with a walk that sent across another run.
In the bottom half, the Braves cut the deficit in half without getting a hit. With one out, a hit by pitch and two walks put runners on every base. A wild pitch by Clermont allowed Bradley's first score of the contest.
SU added a run in the top of the fourth on a two-out, RBI double by Daniels to the left center gap, giving the Orange a 3-1 edge.
Clermont took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, despite giving up a run three innings earlier. She retired the first batter, but a single by Brianne Joseph broke up the no-hit bid. That began a streak of five consecutive batters reaching base – including four singles – that evened the score at 3-3.
Bradley pulled ahead 5-3 with two more runs in the home half of the sixth. An error off the bat of Joseph drove in a run from second and she came around to score on an RBI single by Brittany Burgess.
Down to its final three outs, Syracuse rallied to knot the game at 5-5 with RBI doubles by Chitkowski and Johnson. Back-to-back walks to lead off the inning had the Orange with a pair of runners on and no outs. Chitkowski smashed a double to left center scoring Watson from second. Ozanne attempted to sneak home on an overthrow, but was tagged out at the plate as Chitkowski moved to third. After a strikeout, Johnson's double dropped in on the left field line allowing the run to score from third easily.
Syracuse wraps up the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic with a game against in-state foe Fordham on Sunday, March 2 at 10 a.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lexi Davis (8-3)
L: O'Hara, Sydney (3-4)
Batting:
2B: Tiffany Howard 1
RBI: Jenna Abbott 1 ; Jade Rhodes 1 ; Madi Gipson 1 ; McKenzie Kilpatrick 1 ; Kelsey Bogaards 1 ; Tiffany Howard 2
SH: Emily Carosone 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Morgan Estell 2 ; Kasey Cooper 2 ; Branndi Melero 1 ; Jenna Abbott 1 ; Victoria Draper 1 ; Jade Rhodes 1 ; McKenzie Kilpatrick 1 ; Kelsey Bogaards 1
HBP: Morgan Estell 1
Batting:
2B: Dombrowski, Mary 1
HR: Chitkowski, Danielle 1
RBI: Chitkowski, Danielle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Chitkowski, Danielle 1
SB: Daniels, Shirley 1
