In national television debut, SU drops 2 in doubleheader versus Louisville
Softball
In the first nationally televised games in team history, the Syracuse softball team failed to step up under the spotlight. The Orange (23-19, 7-7 Big East) lost both games Wednesday to Louisville (29-15, 8-5) in a doubleheader broadcast on ESPNU.
A combination of defensive miscues by Syracuse in the field and lack of clutch hitting at the plate caused the Orange to drop both games. SU lost the first game to the Cardinals 6-2 and fell in the second contest by a score of 7-4. Syracuse made four errors and stranded 21 runners on base over the course of the two games.
Missed opportunities were the story as the Orange failed to prove that it belongs among the best of the Big East.
The first inning of game one set the tone for the entire doubleheader. Syracuse loaded the bases in the top of the first, but sophomore pitcher Jenna Caira flew out to center to end the threat. A throwing error by shortstop Morgan Nandin allowed Louisville to score an unearned run in the bottom of the first.
The 1-0 score held until the bottom of the fifth, when things unraveled for Caira on the mound. Louisville scored five runs, including a two-run blast by Chelsea Bemis.
Syracuse showed some fight in the sixth inning. The Orange cut the lead to 6-2 and loaded the bases with two outs. But once again, it could not secure a timely hit. Sophomore Lisaira Daniels struck out looking to end the rally.
The Orange’s strong finish in game one didn’t carry over to the second game.
Another throwing error by Nandin and a wild pitch by Stacy Kuwik allowed the Cardinals to score a run in the first inning.
After a Hallie Gibbs RBI single tied the game in the top of the third, the Orange crumbled in the bottom of the inning. An error by Kuwik, two wild pitches and another home run by Bemis added up to four runs for Louisville, giving the Cardinals a 5-1 lead.
Syracuse had two more chances to get back in the game. With the score 5-2 in the sixth inning, leadoff hitter Veronica Grant struck out with the bases loaded and two outs. In the seventh, pinch-hitter Meghan Boston struck out with runners on first and second and two outs to end the game.
Daniels stole two bases in game two, setting the all-time single-season record for Syracuse with 22 stolen bases.
The bright spot of the doubleheader for SU was the performance of senior pitcher Brittany Gardner. Gardner, who was relegated to mop-up duty after a poor performance against Providence, pitched in relief in both games, allowing two runs in four and two-thirds innings.
Syracuse returns home to play a three-game series against Connecticut this weekend.
Women’s lacrosse
Junior goalkeeper Liz Hogan recorded a save at the buzzer to preserve a 7-6 victory for No. 10 Syracuse (10-4, 5-1 Big East) against Cornell (4-8) in Ithaca, N.Y., Wednesday.
Senior Jackie DePetris and freshman Michelle Tumolo combined for the first two goals of the game, both coming in the first 10 minutes of the first half. DePetris capitalized on Tumolo’s pass for the first goal, and then returned the favor by dishing to Tumolo on the second. Senior Christina Dove got in on the action with her 45th goal of the season, an unassisted shot at 16:01 to give the Orange its largest lead of the half at 3-1.
Cornell found the back of the net two more times before the end of the half to tie the score at three apiece before halftime.
Freshman Tegan Brown scored the first goal of the second half on a free-position shot before DePetris scored again off an assist from Tumolo to push the score to 5-3. But the Big Red wouldn’t go away, scoring three unanswered goals to take a 6-5 lead with 10:23 remaining in the game.
Syracuse took the lead back for good with two unassisted goals less than a minute apart. The first, scored by Dove, tied the game with 8:06 remaining, and the second, scored by Brown at the 7:22 mark, gave the Orange the lead again, 7-6.
Syracuse had possession late in the game but turned the ball over in its defensive end with 32 seconds remaining to give Cornell a chance to tie the game. The Big Red’s shot with seven seconds left on the clock went wide, and Hogan’s save on Jessi Steinberg’s shot at the buzzer gave Syracuse its third consecutive win.
DePetris and Tumolo led the Orange with three points each, while Dove and Brown each added two points to their season totals. Johnson led Cornell with two goals and an assist.
The Orange has one day’s rest before hitting the road for a pair of conference battles. SU first travels to Cincinnati for a 5 p.m. tilt with the Bearcats Friday before heading to Louisville to take on the Cardinals for a 1 p.m. matchup Sunday.
— Compiled by The Daily Orange sports staff
