Softball Blown Away in Final Game at Auburn
By Anthony Vasquez | @Ant_Vasquez3
AUBURN, AL – Syracuse Softball was overwhelmed, outmatched, and obliterated in its final game of the weekend against Auburn. After a relatively close first three innings, the Tigers blew things open to win it 9-0 in just five.
Ariana Adams trotted to the circle looking to just get through the order once before Doepking turned to Summer Clark to finish the game. Adams came in and did her job by tossing two innings of one-run ball.
Once she faced the lineup once, Dopeking turned to the undefeated freshman to take them to the promise land. Unfortunately, things could not have been worse for Clark as she recorded just two outs while giving up six hits. Those knocks eventually turned into seven earned runs including two homers to back-to-back hitters.
Having seen enough, Doepking came walking out to the dugout to take the ball from her struggling southpaw. Lindsey Hendrix ended up finishing the game by recording the last four outs and giving up a run.
With the way the staff threw as a whole it would be easy to pin the loss solely on them. Unfortunately, the offense deserves just as much blame as the arms.
Auburn starter Shelby Lowe struck out 11 hitters in a five-inning complete game. Only 5 batters were able to catch up to her electric 70 mph heater.
3B Angie Ramos was a pleasant surprise as she went 2-2 but, outside of her, nobody stood out offensively.
Needing to score more than a run to not get mercied, the ‘Cuse were able to load the bases in the fifth. Kelly Breen stepped in the box, and it was clear from the jump she was overmatched by Lowe’s pure power. Breen struck out swinging, leaving the bases juiced in the process.
It looked like the Orange left all of its momentum at the hotel because nobody really stepped up today. A 1-2 conclusion to its trip to the plains proves the pitching staff must be almost perfect if it’s going to win games.
On days like today where the staff was struggling, S.U. is going to be in trouble.
The Orange will make the trip back to a snowy Syracuse before they head to the road again to face NC State, their first ACC opponent of the year. With the non-conference tune-ups over, the real season starts for ‘Cuse.
Will this season surprise fans, or will it be one to forget? We’ll find out throughout the rest of the spring. Let ACC play begin!
