'Cuse Splits First Two Games of the Weekend

Friday, March 4

Northridge, CA

3 PM

Syracuse University

7-7

CSU Bakersfield

4-8

Syracuse

CSU Bakersfield

3/5/2016 12:35:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - The Syracuse softball team split its first two games on the opening day of the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament, sailing past CSU Bakersfield 6-0 while falling to CSUN 5-2. The Orange (7-8) racked up three home runs and nine total hits against the Roadrunners, and concluded with 11 hits on the day.

Sophomore Sammy Fernandez and junior Sydney O'Hara each finished with three hits on the afternoon, tallying two hits apiece against the Roadrunners and one hit each against the Matadors. One of O'Hara's hits came from a home run in the first game, while Fernandez registered her second career triple in the latter game. Senior Corinne Ozanne and freshman Andrea Bombace also tacked on home runs in the first game, both registering their second home runs of the season.

GAME 1
The Orange got on board early in the top of the second against the Roadrunners, after Bombace sent one over the left field fence to make it 1-0 'Cuse. After Doane singled to center field in the top of the third, O'Hara stepped up to the plate and jacked one past the center field fence to put the Orange at a 3-0 advantage.

The Orange added another run in the top of the fourth, after a hit by pitch and a sacrifice bunt by junior Alyssa Dewes placed senior Danielle Chitkowski at second with two outs. With Fernandez at bat, the sophomore sent one to the shortstop and an error on the play brought Fernandez to second as Chitkowski safely touched home to make it 4-0.

The offensive surge didn't slow down for the Orange, as Ozanne started things off for 'Cuse in the top of the sixth with a lead-off home run to left field. The Orange capped the victory with one more run in the final at bat for 'Cuse, as the sequence of events started with Ozanne getting hit by a pitch. With pinch runner Kelsey Johnson in for Ozanne at first, O'Hara tallied her second hit of the game with a base hit through the right side, sending Johnson to third. One out later, freshman Hannah Dossett brought Johnson home off of a sacrifice fly, sealing the Orange's third shutout victory of the season, 6-0.

Senior Jocelyn Cater earned the win in the circle, recording her first shutout of the season. She finished the full seven innings with four strikeouts and no walks, while allowing just three hits.

GAME 2
The Matadors came out firing on all cylinders to start the second game, racking up three runs in the bottom of the first to trigger an Orange pitching change in the opening inning. With O'Hara at the mound for sophomore AnnaMarie Gatti, 'Cuse held CSUN scoreless for the second and third innings.

Despite a 3-0 hole for 'Cuse after the first inning, the Orange got back on track in the top of the third. Dewes started things off for the Orange with a lead-off single to second base. In the next at bat, Fernandez sent one deep down the right field line to issue her first triple of the season, leading Dewes to home plate. With Fernandez at third and Doane at the plate, a wild pitch welcomed Fernandez home to put the Orange back in the game with a one-run deficit, 3-2.

CSUN answered right back in the bottom of the third, however, reeling in another run off of a single to center field that sent a Matador on second to home plate, 4-2. That was all of the damage CSUN could do until the bottom of the fifth, as a one-run homer to left field finalized a 5-2 advantage for the home team.

Gatti re-entered the game in the bottom of the fifth after the home run, and proceeded to allow no hits while tallying three strikeouts in the final 1.1 innings.

The Orange wrap up its stay in Los Angeles tomorrow, starting things off against UC Davis at 1:30 p.m. EST, and ending the day with a 6:30 p.m. EST game against No. 13 UCLA.

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