Syracuse Splits Sunday’s Doubleheader, Unable to Solve Georgia Once Again.

By Cole Purvis | @Cole_Purvis

ATHENS, GA – Syracuse softball (12-2) won its first contest of the day against App State (3-11), before dropping a tight one in the second game to No. 9 Georgia (13-0) on Sunday.

Game 1
SU junior Madison Knight is most known for her pitching, but in Syracuse’s 6-3 victory over App State, a big swing from her allowed the Orange to prevail over the Mountaineers.

In the first, each team would score. App State produced a run courtesy of a Leah Gore double, but Syracuse would erase the deficit in its half of the opening frame, when senior Angie Ramos ripped a single up the middle, scoring junior Madelyn Lopez to equalize things at 1-1. Ramos herself had quite the weekend to that point, having reached base seven times through the first four games in the Georgia Classic.

Lopez scored in the first, and got right back at it, driving in a run in the second. Her double scored freshman Lauren Fox (who got on base via her first collegiate hit) and Taylor Davison (who had her first hit of the year). Just like that, it was 3-1 SU.

With App State trying to erase the deficit at the plate, freshman Madison McIntyre came up big. She sailed her first collegiate home run over the fence in center field for a two-run dinger to knot the game up at three runs apiece.

Syracuse was then trying to avoid slipping up and losing to an unranked squad for the first time all year, but it turned out it wouldn’t have to fret for long. Pitcher/DP Madison Knight stepped up to the plate with a runner on base, and after going down in the count 0-2, gave the Orange the lead with a two-run blast to center field. SU would get some insurance later in the inning from freshman Kayla Sigala who allowed Peyton Schemmer to score on her RBI single.

Syracuse used three of its arms in this game, the most pitchers the Orange have thrown in one contest all season. Junior Jackie Pengel would be the one to pick up the win, moving to 2-0 on the year. Her classmate Julianna Verni got the save, with freshman Sydney Jackson starting the game, going four innings and giving up three earned runs.

Game 2
After falling to No. 9 Georgia 8-2 Saturday, Syracuse made things a lot tougher on UGA this time around, losing only 3-1.

This was largely due to Knight being on the mound. The ace did not throw against Georgia yesterday, allowing the Bulldogs to jump all over the Orange hurlers. Knight would remain steady, throwing the entire game for the ‘Cuse, and holding UGA relatively in check.

That being said, the first inning was not ideal. The offense for Georgia started early, with Knight dealing a bases loaded walk to freshman Esther White. That would be all the ‘Dogs could muster up in the first. In the second, utility player Jaydyn Goodwin hit an RBI single to second base, scoring Marisa Miller.

Syracuse would help out its pitcher in the third, however. The Orange put the ball in play, manufacturing a run off the bat of senior Kelly Breen, who reached on a fielder’s choice. Sophia Taliaferro scored the SU run, making it 2-1 in favor of Georgia.

Knight settled in on the bump for Syracuse, tossing scoreless third, fourth, and fifth frames. In the sixth, however, UGA got some late insurance, just as it did yesterday. Marisa Miller hit a solo home run to make it 3-1.

SU was not successful in its last ditch effort in the seventh, falling to Georgia 3-1. However, for a team trying to figure out its way early on, taking a top-10 squad down to the wire is a welcome sight.

Syracuse exits Athens with a 12-2 record overall, its only losses coming to the Bulldogs, having beaten Buffalo, Utah Valley, and App State to finish the Georgia Classic 3-2. Next week’s challenge is the Blue Hen Invitational in Newark, Delaware, hosted by the University of Delaware.

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