SU Blasts Binghamton In Doubleheader Sweep

Wednesday, April 9

Syracuse, NY

3:30 pm

Syracuse University

14-18

Binghamton

12-13

Binghamton

Syracuse

4/9/2014 9:10:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Game One Box | Game Two Box | Blog Replay | Photo Gallery

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Sophomore Danielle Chitkowski and freshman Alyssa Dewes both hit a homer in each game and freshman Sydney O'Hara pitched a combined eight innings of scoreless ball as the Syracuse Softball team swept Binghamton in a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday, April 9 at the SU Softball Stadium.

Behind the stellar pitching performance of O'Hara, Syracuse took the opener 8-0 in five innings due to the eight run-rule for the team's first home win of the season. In the second game, both teams traded five-run frames early on, but Syracuse scored twice in the fourth and sixth innings, and held on to win 9-6 in a wild affair.

Freshman Sydney O'Hara (11-7) tossed her sixth shutout of the season in game one, this time a two-hit complete game performance with five strikeouts, all coming in a row. The six shutouts is tied for fourth all-time at SU in a single-season and it is the fourth time O'Hara has allowed two hits or less in a game, joining her no-hitter and pair of one-hitters.

The Orange (15-18) was led by Chitkowski and sophomore Corinne Ozanne offensively, who each went 2-for-3 with two runs batted in. Ozanne drove in both on a single while Chitkowski hit a two-run shot and scored twice. Dewes added a three-run homer and junior Mary Dombrowski touched home twice.

Syracuse broke through for three runs in the home half of the second on a three-run blast by Dewes to take a 3-0 lead. Junior Julie Wambold led off the frame with a single and moved up to second on Dombrowski's two-out walk. That brought up Dewes, who hit a homer to the opposite field that carried over the fence.

After stranding a pair of runners in the third, SU was back at it again in the fourth with three more runs on four singles to extend the advantage to 6-0. Back-to-back singles by Chitkowski and Dombrowski got things started for the Orange. With one away in the inning, senior Shirley Daniels snuck a single through the right side to plate Chitkowski, and two batters later, came around to score with Dombrowski on Ozanne's two-run single down the right field line.

Binghamton (12-14) looked to strand something together in the fifth by loading the bases, but O'Hara induced a high infield fly to get out of the jam and keep the shutout intact.

In the bottom half of the inning O'Hara did some work at the plate, singling with one out. Chitkowski then ended the game with a walk-off, two-run homer, putting the eight-run mercy rule into effect.

Both teams showcased high-power offenses in the second game, combining for 15 runs on 25 hits, including four home runs.

Four Orange women recorded multi-hit games with three of them picking up three hits apiece. Dewes was a perfect 3-for-3 with a homer, a double, two RBIs and three runs scored. Freshman Nicole Lundstrom and senior Jasmine Watson were both 3-for-4 with Lundstrom driving in three and Watson plating one. Lundstrom now has 12 multi-hit and seven multi-RBI games this season, both of which lead the team.

Ozanne was the other SU player to register two hits and Chitkowski hit a three-run bomb to help pace the Syracuse batters.

Freshman Christina Clermont notched her second win of the season, surrendering five runs on eight hits in four innings while striking out four. O'Hara came on in relief and gave up just one hit in three innings for her second save, which is tied for fifth in a single-season at SU and tied for seventh in a career.

Just like the first game, Syracuse got hot in the second inning, this time exploding for five runs. Watson got things started with a single, and a walk to O'Hara put two aboard for Chitkowski, who smacked her second homer in as many at-bats dating back to the first game of the day.

The Orange weren't done there as Dombrowski followed with a double and came around to score on a single up the middle by Dewes. A wild pitch and ground out moved Dewes over to third and Lundstrom brought her in on a single through the right side.

Binghamton answered each of Syracuse's runs in top of the fourth, coming all the way back to tie the score at 5-5. Colleen Dougherty led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Jessica Bump traded places with her on a double to left that drove in the Bearcats' first run of the day. Taylor Chaffee knocked Bump in with a sacrifice fly and five pitches later Lisa Cadogan went deep over the fence in left center to make it a two-run game.

Clermont was able to get the next batter out, but an infield single by Hunt allowed Lisa Cutrona to come to bat. Cutrona took advantage of the extra opportunity and homered to straight away center, just out of the reach of a leaping Daniels at the wall.

Lundstrom struck again for Syracuse in in the bottom of the frame, putting Syracuse back in front for good at 7-5. With one out, Dewes hit a double off the base of the left field fence and Daniels reached on a walk. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and scored on a hard grounder by Lundstrom that bounced off the second baseman.

The Bearcats rallied in the fifth, though, and had the go-ahead run on second with no outs. Three straight singles brought Binghamton within 7-6 on an RBI base knock by Chaffe. Pinch runner Kim Santiago went to second on a steal, but later in the next at-bat, Bump was caught in a rundown after attempting to take home on a ball in the dirt.

O'Hara went on to face the minimum eight batters for the remainder of the game, allowing just an infield single to Caytlin Friis on a popup that dropped in between four fielders. Friis tried to stretch it into a double but Watson gunned her out at second on the play.

Syracuse plated a pair of insurance runs in the home half of the sixth on Dewes' leadoff solo shot and an RBI single by Watson.

The Orange take two days off before heading to Pittsburgh for a three-game conference series with the Panthers. A doubleheader will be played on Saturday, April 12 beginning at 1 p.m. and the finale will be on Sunday, April 13 at 12 p.m.