‘Cuse Drops Series Opener to Cardinals

Friday, March 24

Onondaga Community College

1:30 PM

Syracuse University

17-10, 0

Louisville

19-8, 0

Louisville

Syracuse

3/24/2017 5:15:00 PM | Softball

Box Score CuseTV: Highlights CuseTV: Hansen Interview CuseTV: Coach Bosch Interview Photo Gallery

Hansen tallies two RBI

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Despite a pair of RBI from sophomore Alicia Hansen, Syracuse (17-10, 3-4 ACC) dropped its home opener to Louisville (19-8, 4-0 ACC), 7-4, on Friday afternoon at Onondaga Community College softball field.

"Louisville's got a good program and a good team and they're well coached, so it isn't surprising that they battled through," head coach Mike Bosch said of the Cardinals. "We kept them at bay for about five innings, but they got kids on base, squeezed a double through, and we had a nice little rally in the seventh, but that means a little more if they don't have the four runs in the top of the seventh."

Hansen was 3-of-4 on the day with a pair of RBI and a run to lead the Orange offense.

"I definitely think it's more motivational when people are on base for me," Hansen said of her at-bats. "The one time I didn't get a hit, there was no one on base. That isn't an excuse, but there is more incentive to get a hit when other people are on base. If there's a runner on second or even on third, a base hit scores her so it just gives you that extra incentive especially when I went up there with two outs."

Junior Faith Cain was right behind Hansen, as she hit 2-of-4 on the game with an RBI.

Senior Sydney O'Hara was 1-of-2 from home plate with a run and a walk, while the junior pair of Sammy Fernandez and Jessica Heese were 1-of-4 each. Fernandez tallied a pair of runs for the Orange.

Junior AnnaMarie Gatti (5-4) led the orange from the pitcher's mound with three strikeouts on the game, while O'Hara added two.

Fernandez got the Orange momentum started in the bottom of the third frame, as she nailed a triple to center field to get into scoring position. Hansen followed it up with an RBI single up the middle to give Syracuse a 1-0 lead.

The top of the sixth inning proved the difference for the Cardinals, as a three RBI double to center field gave UL the 3-1 lead.

Louisville added to the lead with four runs in the top of the seventh to create a six-run gap with the Orange.

Not ready to quit and up against two outs, Syracuse made one last push in the bottom of the final frame.

Fernandez got on base by an error from the Cardinals' first baseman, before Hansen tallied her second RBI of the game with a single up the middle.

After being hit by a pitch, O'Hara took first to push Hansen to second. Sophomore Bryce Holmgren reach first off an error to load the bases for the Orange before Cain came through with an RBI single down the right field line to give the Orange its fourth and final run of the game.

"They always fight, I will say that," Bosch said. "This team always does fight and they have that mentality that it's not over until it's over and we've done a great job of that up and down the order."

Syracuse and Louisville return for the second and final game of the series tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. at Onondaga Community College softball field.

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