SB : Syracuse pitchers toss pair of shutouts in home opener
After playing its first 27 games on the road, the Syracuse softball team had no plans to disappoint in its home-opening doubleheader against Providence.
With opportune hits, crisp defense and two spectacular pitching efforts, the Orange stunned the Friars and earned back-to-back shutout victories Saturday, winning 6-0 in the opener and 3-0 in the second game.
The shutouts marked the 11th time SU has held its opponents scoreless in back-to-back games. It was the first time SU has posted a shutout sweep of a Big East rival since blanking former conference member Virginia Tech, 5-0 and 3-0, in 2002. In the process, Syracuse improved to 12-17 overall and 5-1 in conference play.
The home-field advantage surely motivated the squad, especially freshman third baseman Hallie Gibbs who played in her first career home game.
‘We wanted to put on a show for (the fans),’ Gibbs said. ‘Being at home is such a great feeling. I know that everyone got excited to have their own music, and we love having our batting songs and warm-up mixes. It just gets everyone so pumped up to play.’
Gibbs belted the program’s eighth all-time grand slam in the second inning of the opener to help SU jump out to a 4-0 lead. It was her fourth home run of the season. The four RBIs in the game also gave her a team-best 16.
Inclement weather forced the umpires to suspend play in the middle of the fifth inning. Play continued early Saturday afternoon, and Syracuse picked up exactly where it left off. Senior pitcher Chanel Roehner continued her dominant pitching and finished with a complete game shutout as the Orange won 6-0.
‘It was just good to play at home,’ SU head coach Leigh Ross said. ‘Not to be on a plane, on a bus somewhere, or in a hotel. You get to get out of your own bed and play on your field.’
Throughout the game, the defensive unit played a cohesive, clean game. Players converted put-outs with poise.
‘It’s all clicking now,’ Ross said. ‘In the beginning of the season, either one game the pitching was off, or the defense was shaky, or the hitting wouldn’t come around. Now, everything is clicking at the right time. The key is confidence. Every day they’re getting more and more confident.’
SU carried its winning bravado into the second game. Sophomore pitcher Brittany Gardner set the tone for the game by striking out the side in the first inning. During the fourth, junior second baseman Lindsay Wasek executed a hit-and-run with senior outfielder Rachel Tilford on first base. Wasek drilled a pitch to the right field fence for her second triple of the year and drove in Tilford.
‘Lindsay executed the hit-and-run to perfection,’ associate head coach Kyle Jamieson said. ‘When you are already getting phenomenal pitching and getting great offensive production, it’s really hard not to win.’
Gardner racked up seven strikeouts in her sixth complete game and recorded her first shutout of the season in the 3-0 win. Yet, she credited her brilliant performance to the ambiance of having a home-field advantage.
‘It’s nice to know that we are in our territory here,’ Gardner said. ‘We have to defend it and make sure no one comes and takes it away. The challenge definitely gives us extra confidence and energy.’
Junior shortstop Jamie Kelling extended her hitting streak to a career-high 11 games – tied for the fifth longest in school history. Syracuse catcher Amy Kelley, prolonged her own hit streak to 10 games, one game short of her career high.
The Orange has persevered through adversity on the road, so playing at home only provided a boost to the team’s confidence. But despite the team’s 5-1 Big East record at the end of the day, Ross said she wouldn’t allow Syracuse to become complacent in success.
‘We still have a lot of Big East left with very strong teams,’ Ross said. ‘The rest of the season is one game at a time. We can’t think too far ahead, and all you can do is be ready for the first pitch and see what happens.’
