Syracuse sweeps UAlbany to snap 4-game losing streak
Syracuse had an offensive outburst in its doubleheader against UAlbany, plating 12 runs in two wins. Stella Bellman | Staff Photographer
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Heading into its doubleheader against UAlbany, Syracuse desperately needed some sort of bounce back.
The momentum from its program-best start had completely evaporated in conference play. And though SU had a chance to rebound with a nonconference doubleheader against Colgate last week, that was ultimately cancelled due to inclement weather.
But once Syracuse (24-19, 3-15 Atlantic Coast) got a chance to return, it dominated, defeating UAlbany (19-20, 9-4 America East) 6-0 and 6-2 across its doubleheader. Madison Knight set the tone early for the Orange, twirling a complete-game shutout to earn her 10th win of the season.
The first game got off to a slow start, with neither team scoring before the fourth inning. At the top of the fourth, Syracuse quickly took control, with pinch-runner Kate Dorazio moving into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Angie Ramos. With Kelly Breen up to bat, she came through with a single up the middle, plating Dorazio to give SU an early lead.
Soon after, Gabby Lantier made it to first base on a misplay by UAlbany third baseman Sara Anderson, allowing Laila Morales-Alves to advance to second. Then, a single by Madelyn Lopez drove in Morales-Alves to make it 2-0. On the throw home, Lopez hustled to second and Lantier moved to third.
On Jadyn Burney’s ensuing bunt single, Lantier scored to reigster SU’s third run of the inning, and Burney made it all the way to third after some miscommunication on the play.
The next two innings were more akin to the first three, with neither team recording a run. But the top of the seventh was successful for the Orange, as the team secured its victory with a quick three-run flurry.
On a wild pitch, pinch-runner Lauren Fox sprinted home to extend Syracuse’s lead. With pinch-runner Erika Zamora on second, Tessa Galipeau delivered a single to right field, and a throwing error by UAlbany paved the way for Zamora to score SU’s fifth run.
Angie Ramos singled down the left field line to score Galipeau for SU’s final run. UAlbany failed to score in the bottom of the seventh, surrendering the win to Syracuse.
The Great Danes put up a stronger fight in the second game, managing to plate two runs early. However, the Orange capitalized on their momentum from the first game for a series sweep.
In the first inning, both teams got off to quick starts. Syracuse started the inning off with a bang, when Vanessa Flores smacked a two-run homer to left field. UAlbany responded in the bottom of the first though, as Christie Collins laid down an RBI bunt single to score Caitlyn Frederick from third.
Collins moved to third on the ensuing throw, and Taylor Quinn drove her in on a sacrifice groundout to knot the game at 2-2. But that was the end of the Great Danes’ scoring surge.
Lopez opened the top of the third by drawing a walk. With a double into left, Burney brought her home to reclaim SU’s lead. She scored soon after on a Taylor Posner single, extending the lead 4-2.
Syracuse plated its final two runs towards the end of the game, one in the fifth and another in the sixth. In the top of the fifth, Breen drove in Galipeau with an RBI single. And the Orange followed a similar pattern in the following inning, when Posner plated Fox on a single to seal Syracuse’s 6-2 win.
