Softball Sweeps Buffalo in Home Opener

Tuesday, April 6

Syracuse, N.Y.

2 PM

Syracuse University

12-9, 0

Buffalo

6-18, 0

Buffalo

Syracuse

4/6/2021 6:47:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Highlights Photo Gallery

The Syracuse softball team improved to 13-9 with a double header sweep over Buffalo (6-19) to open the 2021 home slate Tuesday afternoon. The Orange earned a 6-2 victory behind a complete game from Alexa Romero in game one and Kaia Oliver went six strong innings in the circle in a 9-1 victory in game two.

In game one, the Orange scored four earned runs on four hits capped by a two-run blast from freshman Angel Jasso. Alexa Romero threw her third-straight complete game of the season and tied a season high 13 strikeouts.

Syracuse struck first when Toni Martin took a low outside pitch over the right field fence for a solo homer to give SU a 1-0 lead after the second.

Senior Gabby Teran moved Lailoni Mayfield into scoring position with a double to left center field in the third. Neli Casares-Maher drove in Mayfield with an RBI single and an aggressive Teran stole home to make it a 3-0 game. Jasso then blasted a two-run home run over the fence to bring in Casares-Maher and make it a 5-0 ballgame.

Romero was dominant in the circle, holding Buffalo hitless and not allowing a runner in scoring position through the first four innings.

Things looked worrisome for Syracuse in the top of the fifth when Buffalo loaded the bases after a pair of hits and an obstruction call that caused some confusion, but Romero managed to escape unscathed.

The Orange tacked on one more in the fifth. After a base hit from Jasso, Martin laid down a squeeze bunt and Jasso scored when an attempt to throw her out at third was off the mark. Syracuse led 6-0 after five innings.

Buffalo didn't go down quietly, Alexis Lucyshyn hit a ball over the right field fence in the sixth for a two-run homer that put Buffalo on the board. Romero closed out the final frame, earning her 13th strikeout of the day to secure the 6-2 victory.

In the second game, Teran's RBI double in the bottom of the sixth ended the game in favor of the Orange, 9-1.

'Cuse got on the board early in the first inning. Lailoni Mayfield drew a walk and a Casares-Maher RBI ground out sent Mayfield home to give SU the 1-0 advantage.

The Bulls scored on an error in the top of the second to tie it up 1-1, but Syracuse put together two runs in the third to respond. Mayfield had a base hit and Teran caused chaos on the base path after a squeeze bunt to distract the Buffalo defense while Mayfield snuck home to extend the lead to 3-1.

Oliver got the Orange out of trouble in the top of the fifth, stranding two Bulls on base to keep it 3-1 SU. The sophomore tallied seven strike outs in six innings.

In the bottom of the fifth, Teran hit an RBI double to center field to bring in Almer and put SU ahead 4-1. An RBI single from Jasso scored Teran, and Martin launched her second long ball of the day to drive home two runs to give Syracuse the 7-1 lead.

With two runners on base, Teran's double brought both home to force the run rule and secure a 9-1 victory to extend Syracuse's win streak to seven games.

The Orange improve to 13-9 on the season and hit the road again to face Boston College for a four-game conference series beginning Friday, April 9 at 3 p.m. Saturday's double header is set for 1 and 3 p.m. and first pitch of the finale is Sunday at Noon.