Staff : Syracuse softball finishes second in Bama Bash
The Syracuse softball team went 3-2 in this past weekend’s Bama Bash at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The record was good enough for second place in the four-team tournament field that included Texas San Antonio, Louisville and No. 3 Alabama.
Alabama finished first with a perfect 5-0 record.
SU’s only two losses came against the Crimson Tide, as they dropped a 9-0 decision on Saturday and a 20-5 decision in Sunday’s championship contest. The first loss came on the heels of a pair of victories against Texas San Antonio and Big East rival Louisville to start the tournament.
The Orange defeated Texas San Antonio 4-3 in their first tournament game on the strength of a pair of scoreless relief innings from Stacy Kuwik and a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh from junior outfielder Lisaira Daniels.
Kuwik earned another victory later in the day in SU’s 3-2 win over Louisville. After falling behind 1-0 early, head coach Leigh Ross’s team scored three runs in the top of the third inning to take the lead for good.
Kuwik picked up her third victory of the tournament by pitching the full seven innings in the Orange women’s 3-1 win over Texas San Antonio following the first Alabama loss.
SU is now 7-2 on the season heading into next weekend’s Cathedral City Classic in Palm Springs, Calif.
Ice hockey
The Syracuse women’s ice hockey team (11-15-6, 5-6-3 College Hockey America) tied Robert Morris (5-19-7, 2-8-5) twice over the weekend. Both games ended with the score knotted 2-2 after overtime.
SU fell behind 1-0 just 53 seconds into the game on a goal by RMU’s Thea Imbrogno. Senior Ashley Cockell scored two goals in the second period to give the Orange the lead heading into the final stanza. RMU tied the game with 1:46 remaining to send it into overtime. Neither team scored to break the tie.
The second game of the series started and ended similarly on Saturday. Imbrogno got the Colonials on the board with a power-play goal just under eight minutes into the game. SU responded with a power-play goal by sophomore Holly Carrie-Mattimoe over eight minutes into the second period. Carrie-Mattimoe put the Orange about three minutes later with another power-play score.
Imbrogno evened the score with her second goal less than three minutes into the third period. The score remained 2-2 through regulation and overtime to end in another tie.
Freshmen goaltenders Jenesica Drinkwater and Kallie Billadeau both saved at least 35 shots for the Orange in each game. SU has ended all six of its overtime games this season in ties.
The Orange clinched the No. 3 seed in the CHA playoffs after the weekend. Niagara (11-14-5, 8-4-2) finished second in the conference after sweeping Wayne State.
SU will take on Niagara this weekend at Tennity Ice Pavilion to finish the regular season. The two will play again a week later in the conference semifinals in Syracuse.
Tennis
Syracuse (7-2) saw its six-game winning streak come to an end against Boston University (5-2) on Sunday. Syracuse lost the match 6-1 to a Terriers squad that picked up its fifth straight win.
Freshman Maddie Kobelt was the only SU player to earn a point for the Orange. The No. 3 singles player defeated her opponent in straight sets 7-6 (6), 6-4.
Junior Emily Harman dropped just her second match of the season, losing at the No. 2 singles position 6-0, 6-3.
The No. 1 doubles pairing of Harman and Kobelt was able to win their match 8-5. Despite the victory, the Orange was unable to lock up the doubles point. The Terriers picked up wins at the No. 2 and 3 positions to earn the doubles victory. Harman and Kobelt hold a 6-2 record as the No. 1 pair this season.
The Orange won just four sets in singles play. Senior Simone Kalhorn dropped her first match of the season, losing to Jessi Linero during a tiebreaker in the second set. Kalhorn dropped the shortened match 7-5, 2-6 (7-10). Kalhorn was 6-0 entering the match, all of her wins coming at the No. 6 singles position.
SU will return home to play Big East opponents Villanova and West Virginia this weekend. The Orange has yet to lose at the Drumlins Tennis Center this season.
