'Cuse Splits with NC State, Series Finale Tomorrow

Saturday, April 16

1PM

Syracuse University

21-18, 6-9

NC State

20-24, 4-9

NC State

Syracuse

'Cuse Splits with NC State, Series Finale Tomorrow

4/16/2016 8:44:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Syracuse softball team split with NC State in a conference doubleheader on Saturday, clinching the win in the second game in extra-inning walk-off fashion at Skytop Softball Stadium.

After dropping the first game 5-4, the Orange and the Wolfpack battled it out in extra frames in the second after an Orange comeback that began in the bottom of the fourth. In the 10th inning of play, a walk-off RBI single by freshman Andrea Bombace sent senior Corinne Ozanne home to cap a 5-4 victory for 'Cuse.

With the game tied at four in the 10th frame, Ozanne started the sequence off with a lead-off double to right center on a full count. Pinch hitter Hailey Archuleta stepped up in the next at bat, executing a sacrifice bunt that sent Ozanne to third base with one out on the boards. After that, Bombace came up big with an RBI base hit to center field that welcomed Ozanne to home plate for the walk-off win.

The Orange mustered a four-run comeback after the Wolfpack started things off with a four-run opening inning off of two-RBI singles and a two-run base hit. That would be all that NC State would have to offer, however, as 'Cuse held the visiting team scoreless the rest of the way.

Syracuse started to build momentum in the bottom of the fourth inning with a lead-off single to left center field by Ozanne. Two fielder's choice plays in the next two at bats put junior Sydney O'Hara and Bombace on base, before a base hit to left field by freshman Hannah Dossett and an error by the left fielder sent O'Hara and Bombace home. With two outs on the board, a single to left field by redshirt sophomore Olivia Martinez drove in Dossett for another run to make it a 4-3 ballgame.

A base hit by sophomore Rachel Burkhardt, a sacrifice bunt, and a ground out placed pinch runner Alyssa Dewes at third with two outs on the board in the bottom of the seventh. An RBI single to the shortstop with O'Hara at the plate was enough to send Dewes home to knot the game up at four runs apiece and force extra innings.

Ozanne registered a double in each of the games and garnered three hits in the latter game, finishing the day with four hits. Sophomore Sammy Fernandez went 5-8 at the plate on the day, including a triple and a double in back-to-back innings in the opening game. Dossett tallied an RBI double in the first game and a base hit apiece in each of the games, finishing the day with three hits.

Sophomore AnnaMarie Gatti earned the win in the circle in the latter game, tossing a total of seven innings allowing four hits while retiring six batters.

GAME 1
NC State struck first in the top of the second inning after a wild pitch put two runners in scoring position. In the next at bat, a base hit to center field sent both runners at second and third home to make it a 2-0 ballgame.

The Wolfpack added another run in the top of the third off of a solo home run over the right center field wall by Hanna Sommer. The Orange answered back in the bottom of the third, as Fernandez started things off with a lead-off triple to center field. A wild pitch with Ozanne at the plate triggered Fernandez at third to make the move home.

Syracuse proceeded to steal the lead from NC State in the bottom of the fifth, after two doubles by Ozanne and Dossett and a pair Wolfpack errors drove in two runs to knot the game up at three apiece. The Orange took the lead after a wild pitch sent Dossett at third home in the next series of events.

The Wolfpack didn't let that stop them, however, as two batters reached base after getting hit by pitches. In the next at bat, a double play was enough to get the runners advancing to first and second out, but the pinch runner previously at second escaped and reached home to even the score at four runs apiece.

NC State sealed the deal and stole the lead back in the top of the seventh with a lead-off homer past the center field fence by Cheyenne Balzer to take the game 5-4.

The Orange and the Wolfpack square off one final time tomorrow, Apr. 17, closing the weekend series with a single game at noon at Skytop Softball Stadium.

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