Martin's Home Run Lifts Orange in Season Opener

Friday, February 19

Chapel Hill, N.C.

6 PM

Syracuse University

1-0, 1-0

Notre Dame

2-2, 0-1

Notre Dame

Syracuse

2/19/2021 8:48:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Toni Martin launched a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning, lifting Syracuse to a 3-2 win over Notre Dame in its much-anticipated season opener Friday night. Syracuse opens its campaign with a win for the second-straight year. The Irish, who are receiving votes in the top-25 poll, move to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the ACC.

Syracuse continues ACC Pod play against North Carolina with a three-game set. Saturday's double header begins at 11 a.m. on ACC Network Extra.

🎥: Nothing like the first home run cele of the year🎉 pic.twitter.com/NiVqhG3Y8j
— Syracuse Softball (@CuseSB) February 20, 2021

Alexa Romero earned the win in the circle throwing five and two third innings allowing two runs on three hits and two errors while walking four batters. Kaia Oliver earned the save going 1.1 innings with a facing five batters and striking out the final batter of the game to secure the win.

The Orange had four hits and drew four walks in the game and left four runners on base.

Leea Hanks' hit a two-run double in the top of the sixth but Oliver came in with two outs and worked Sarah Genz into a infield groundout to escape the jam.

Notre Dame's Abby Sweet went 2-for-3 at the plate and was the only player for either team with a multi-hit game.

Coach's Quote:
"It's always great to get our first win under our belt," Syracuse Head Coach Shannon Doepking said. "I thought Lex [Romero] threw a great game and Kaia [Oliver] came in and held it for us. Timely hitting was huge for us tonight. You could definitely feel that it was our first game, but our ability to come up with a big hit when we had runners on was huge."

Syracuse returns to the diamond Saturday for a double header against North Carolina. First pitch of game one is set for 11 a.m. with game two schedueld to start at 1:30 p.m. Fans can watch the action live on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX) online or through the ESPN App.