Syracuse Splits Doubleheader At Canisius

Thursday, April 24

Buffalo, NY

3:30 pm

Syracuse University

21-23

Canisius

14-25

Syracuse

Canisius

4/24/2014 8:16:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Orange win second game 8-0 after losing the opener 4-3

Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box | Blog Replay

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Syracuse softball team won the second game of a doubleheader at Canisius to salvage a split with the Golden Griffins on Thursday, April 24.

After dropping the opener between the two teams, Syracuse (22-23) cruised to an 8-0 win in the nightcap behind a four-hit shutout from freshman Christina Clermont. The first game, Syracuse jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, but Canisius (14-26) battled back to score four runs in the sixth to steal the win from the Orange.

Syracuse started the second game off the same way as the first, getting a three-run homer. This time was different, though as the Orange kept adding to its total for the final score of 8-0. SU put the leadoff runner on in six of the seven innings and scored five of those times.

Seven of the Orange starters in game two recorded hits, including freshman Alyssa Dewes, who went 2-for-3 with a double and one run batted in. Five of Syracuse's eight hits went for extra bases as senior Jasmine Watson, junior Julie Wambold and sophomore Corinne Ozanne all homered. Ozanne finished with three RBIs and Wambold had two.

Clermont enjoyed her best outing of her young career, pitching her first shutout and second complete game, allowing just four hits while striking out three.

After senior Shirley Daniels was hit by a pitch and freshman Nicole Lundstrom walked, Ozanne crushed the offering over the left field fence to put the Orange ahead 3-0. An inning later, sophomore Danielle Chitkowski walked to begin the second and scored two batters later on an RBI double by Dewes.

Watson extended the lead for the Orange in the third, upping the score to 5-0 on her second home run of the day and 15th of the season, which is tied for second in a single-season at SU. It was the third straight game with a homer for Watson, marking the second time this season she accomplished the feat. She also homered in four straight games earlier this year.

SU tacked on three more runs in the final two innings to cap the scoring at 8-0. Junior Mary Dombrowski scored on an error in the sixth and Wambold crushed a two-run homer the opposite way in the seventh that also plated freshman Ellie Forkin, who got on with a single.

In the first game of the day, Syracuse took a 3-0 lead into the sixth, but Canisius, which had only one hit through five innings, racked up six singles during a four-run sixth and rallied for the win.

Watson provided all of the offense for the Orange, hitting a three-run homer for her 14th blast of the season. Lundstrom recorded her team-leading 15th multi-hit game of the campaign, going 2-for-4.

Freshman Sydney O'Hara (14-11) was handed the loss despite taking a one-hit shutout into the sixth inning. In her 13th complete game effort of the season, O'Hara struck out five and gave up four runs (three earned) on seven hits.

The Orange got things started early with a three-run homer off the bat of Watson. However, that is all Syracuse would be able to push across the plate as Golden Griffins pitcher Jenny Consaul (13-16) allowed just three hits the rest of the game.

SU put a runner on in each of the next five innings, including a runner on third in both the fourth and fifth innings. A pair of two-out errors put runners on the corners in the fourth, but Daniels was unable to bring in the run. The next frame, Lundstrom led off with a single to center and made her way to third thanks to a passed ball and ground out. But once again, was left stranded as Consaul induced back-to-back ground outs to get out of the frame.

Meanwhile, O'Hara started off strong, allowing just two base runners in the first six innings on a second inning single and fifth inning walk. The walk was just the first for O'Hara in 11.2 innings of work. She retired 14 of the first 15 batters she faced, including 10 in a row at one point.

It wasn't until the home half of the sixth when Canisius began to piece things together. With one out, four straight singles plated the Golden Griffins' first run of the game on Robin Kennery's hit. After loading the bases, Alexis Roman grounded into a fielder's choice, driving in one in the process. The tying run also came in to score on the play following a fielding error at first and let Roman move up to second. Canisius added back-to-back singles, the first of which by Val Nappo sent the go-ahead run across the plate.

Consaul came back out for the seventh and retired the Orange in order for her 13th straight complete game and 26th of the season, completing a streak of 93 consecutive innings pitched for the Golden Griffins.

The 'Cuse concludes its regular season with a three-game home series against Atlantic Coast Conference foe Virginia Tech. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, April 26 beginning at 1 p.m. and wrap up the set on Sunday, April 27 at 12 p.m.