Oh My O’Hara: Senior Ties NCAA Record

Friday, March 10

Raleigh, NC

3 PM

Syracuse University

12-7, 0

NC State

7-15, 0

Syracuse

NC State

3/10/2017 9:48:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Orange Split with Wolfpack

RALEIGH, N.C. – Senior Sydney O'Hara tied an NCAA single-game record with four home runs to help Syracuse (13-7, 1-1 ACC) defeat NC State (7-16, 1-1 ACC), 11-5, in the second game of the conference-opening doubleheader at Dail Stadium. The Orange came back from a 3-0 decision in the first game to split the Friday afternoon ACC matchups.

O'Hara faced home plate four times in the second outing of the day and bombed the ball past the back wall to round the bases in all four plate appearances. The feat marks the first time in Syracuse softball history that an Orange player has recorded four home runs in a game and the first time this season for any NCAA Division I player. O'Hara is one of five Division I softball players to record four home runs in a single game ever.

The senior tallied eight RBI on the night, a number that stands as a new Syracuse single-game record. O'Hara's four runs scored also ties a single-game Orange program high.

In game one, O'Hara was 1-for-3 from home plate. She recorded four strikeouts from the pitcher's circle in seven batters faced over 2.0 innings, allowing just one hit and no runs or walks.

Syracuse used O'Hara's first homerun for a pair of RBI, as sophomore Alicia Hansen had tallied a single to the shortstop to get on base in the play before.

Hansen finished the night hitting 3-for-4 from home plate, with three runs and one RBI.

With a 2-0 lead, the Wolfpack brought a runner home with two outs on the board to close the gap to one score.

The Orange were unable to get anything going in the top of the second, as four batters went up and three went down after junior Jessica Heese was walked to first.

NC State slammed a triple to the left field sideline for a pair of RBI to take a 3-2 lead over SU. Junior AnnaMarie Gatti caught the final batter swinging to end the frame. Gatti tallied seven strikeouts on the night, recording her first complete game of the year.

Syracuse went on to record nine unanswered runs over the next five innings to reach a game-high 11.

O'Hara began the action with a two-out game-tying home run for her second of the night.

With a four-run fifth inning, the Orange were able to regain the lead for the rest of the game. Junior Rachel Burkhardt started the momentum with a single up the middle before junior Sammy Fernandez got on base thanks to a Wolfpack error.

An RBI single from Hansen brought Burkhardt in for the score. With Hansen on first and Fernandez on second, O'Hara took home plate for the third time only to tally a three RBI home run to give Syracuse a 7-3 lead.

Heading back on defense, Gatti retired 12-straight batters from the box over four innings to lead the Orange on the night.

Syracuse tallied yet another four-run inning beginning with a bunt single from Hansen. As O'Hara approached home plate, the Wolfpack switched pitchers only to reward the senior with her fourth and final homer of the night, as she and Hansen came through home plate for a pair of runs.

Up against two outs on the board in the top of seventh with freshman Toni Martin on second, redshirt junior Olivia Martinez nailed a two RBI single through the right side to tack the two final runs onto the score.

The Wolfpack added a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh, but it wasn't enough, as the Orange came out on top, 11-5.

Syracuse was held scoreless in game one of the doubleheader, as the Wolfpack used a lead-off home run to get on board in the first and a two-run fourth inning to seal the victory.

The Orange close out the three-game series at NC State at 2 p.m. tomorrow afternoon. The game will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra and live stats will be available.