'Cuse Comes up Big in Wins over Ohio State, Purdue

Saturday, February 20

Atlanta, GA

10 AM

Syracuse University

2-4

Ohio State

4-2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Ohio State	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Syracuse	0	0	0	1	0	0	X	1	4	1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Purdue	0	0	0	3	0	3	5	0
Syracuse	1	3	2	1	4	11	11	0

'Cuse Comes up Big in Wins over Ohio State, Purdue

2/20/2016 4:55:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Orange defeat Buckeyes, who have received votes in the past two USA Softball/USA Today Top 25 polls.

ATLANTA, Ga. - The Syracuse softball team posted two big wins today against Ohio State and Purdue in day two of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge at Mewborn Field at Georgia Tech. The Orange (3-4) defeated the Buckeyes 1-0 before entering a five-inning slugfest against the Boilermakers, 11-3.

The Orange nearly shattered the program record for most home runs in a game, ending one shy of the record while blasting five out of the park against Purdue. Freshman Hannah Dossett was the leader of the pack, sending two over the fence towards left field while going 3-3 in the win and cashing in four RBI. Sophomore Rachel Burkhardt, junior Alyssa Dewes, and senior Corinne Ozanne also got in on the home run action, as the quartet combined for nine of the 11 total RBI.

Dossett finished the day with five RBI, sending in the only run of the first game against the Buckeyes. The infielder tallied four hits off of six at bats over the course of two games, adding one double on top of her two home runs.

Pitchers AnnaMarie Gatti and Jocelyn Cater each earned the W in today's games, combining for nine strikeouts while only allowing seven total hits on the day. Gatti tallied four Ks in the win against Ohio State, while Cater added five against Purdue.

GAME 1
A single by Dossett to center field in the bottom of the fourth that drove junior Sydney O'Hara home proved to be the deciding factor in the first game, as Syracuse shutout Ohio State while allowing just two hits over the course of seven innings.

Dossett, sophomores Maddi Doane and Olivia Martinez, and senior Corinne Ozanne each registered hits in the win, including a double from Doane.

On the defensive side of things, pitcher Gatti allowed just two hits while striking out four batters. Dossett was accountable for over half of the total putouts, tallying 11 of the total 21 while Ozanne added five assists.

GAME 2
The Orange totaled a season-high 11 hits in just five innings, adding four doubles on top of the five home runs. Dossett, sophomore Sammy Fernandez, and freshmen Alicia Hansen and Andrea Bombace all added doubles, with Fernandez's and Bombace's doubles sending runners to home.

Sophomore Rachel Burkhardt got the offensive outburst started for the Orange in the bottom of the first, sending one over the left field fence with two outs to put 'Cuse on board 1-0. In the bottom of the second, Fernandez stroked a double to center field to bring Dossett on third base safely home, 2-0. Not long after, junior Alyssa Dewes blasted one past right field with two outs on the board to welcome her and Hansen on third base to home plate, 4-0.

The Orange didn't stop in the third inning, as Dossett sent her first homer of the day past the left field fence, bringing O'Hara on first base along with her, 6-0. Purdue decided to join the action in the top of the fourth, as Boilermaker Emily Kenny homered to right field with two runners on base to make it 6-3.

That's the last attempt Purdue would get, however, as it continued to be all about Syracuse heading into the bottom of the fourth. With two outs and no runners on, Ozanne jacked one over the left field fence to register her first home run of the season and the 37th of her career.

The bottom of the fifth proved to be the final nail in the coffin for Purdue, as Dossett sent one past the left center fence to bring her and Burkhardt on first home, 9-3. A double by Bombace to center field brought Fernandez safely home, and in the following at bat, Dewes singled up the middle, sending Hansen to home plate and ending the game with the Orange at an 11-3 advantage.

Syracuse finishes up its portion of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge tomorrow at 10 a.m. against Ohio State.

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