Orange Take Down Buckeyes, 3-2

Sunday, February 21

Atlanta, GA

10 AM

Syracuse University

4-4

Ohio State

5-3

Syracuse

Ohio State

2/21/2016 2:38:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

ATLANTA, Ga. - The Syracuse softball team finished the ACC/Big Ten Challenge weekend with a 3-2 win over Ohio State on Sunday at Mewborn Field. The Orange (4-4) ended the weekend 3-1, knocking off Ohio State twice while splitting 1-1 with Purdue.

After holding each other scoreless for four innings, sophomore Rachel Burkhardt got hit by a pitch in the top of the fifth with bases loaded to send pinch runner Aliyah Wade home, putting 'Cuse on the board first. With the bases still loaded right after, freshman Hannah Dossett stroked a single into right field to welcome pinch runner Mariko Kondo home, to make it a two-run Syracuse advantage at the end of the fifth.

Leading off in the top of the sixth, freshman Andrea Bombace sent one over the left field fence to make it 3-0, while the Orange continued to hold the Buckeyes scoreless heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. Ohio State attempted to make a last-minute comeback, starting things off with two doubles that sent two runners home with only one out. The Orange defense stepped up, as a subsequent groundout and a strikeout by Gatti ended all hopes for a Buckeye comeback, capping a 3-2 Syracuse victory.

Senior pitcher Jocelyn Cater was credited with the win, while sophomore pitcher AnnaMarie Gatti registered a save. The duo allowed three Buckeye hits on the day, while Cater held Ohio State hitless until the bottom of the fifth inning.

Burkhardt, Dossett, and Bombace recorded one RBI apiece, while Bombace tallied her first home run of her collegiate career.

Syracuse heads to Orlando, Fla. next weekend, taking part in the Citrus Classic and facing off against Fordham on Friday, Feb. 26.