SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse Softball lost their final regular season game to the University of California, Berkeley 4-2 in an 11 inning drag out.
Syracuse came to their final game with good spirits and high energy. Something that wasn’t deterred, even when Cal hit a one-run homerun in the first inning. The Orange kept their composure and closed the first without giving up anything else.
The Orange started their offensive battle strong with their lead off hitter, Madelyn Lopez, being walked and their second batter, Jayden Burney, hitting a line drive straight up the middle. The inning ended early, however, when the next batter hit a sharp drive directly to the 3rd baseman, which Cal turned into a triple-play.
Cal managed to score another run in the top of the 2nd inning but Syracuse kept their cool with bases loaded and got their final outs without anyone else scoring.
Both teams went scoreless in the 4th and 5th innings.
Syracuse would get on the board in the 6th with Madison Knight scoring off of an incredibly close play at home.
The Orange would score again in the next inning, tying the game with a dramatic play.
With bases loaded and one out, Vanessa Flores hit a hard infield grounder which allowed Cal to attempt a double play. Flores was originally called out at 1st base, but after official review the call was reversed, meaning the tying run had made it home and the game was set at 2-2.
The game would then move into the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th innings. It wasn’t until the top of the 11th that Cal was able to score again, hitting a 2-run homerun.
The Orange were unable to come back from this. Even with good contact in their last at bats, Syracuse lost their final regular season game after over three hours of play.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse Softball lost 9-0 in six innings against University of California, Berkeley. This was the second of their three game home series against Cal – their final regular season games.
The Orange started the game with pitcher Julianna Verni, who struggled in the first inning. She walked a batter, hit a batter and then gave up a three-run home run in succession. The Orange defense was able to make it out of the inning without giving up any more runs.
Syracuse looked ready to give Cal the same treatment with a great slap bunt from their two-hitter Jayden Burney. But the Orange couldn’t get their hits to connect and left the inning with no runs.
The Orange would hold Cal from scoring again until the 5th inning when the Golden Bears would get four consecutive hits to drive in three runs.
Syracuse brought in Sydney Jackson to pitch in the top of the 6th inning. Before Jackson would settle in, she walked two Cal batters and they were able to score three more runs in the 6th inning.
Syracuse fought until the very end of the game. With two outs in the bottom of the 6th, Gabby Lantier fouled off 6 pitches trying to find her hit. But Lantier eventually popped up to the third baseman, ending the game.
The Orange would turn around immediately to play the Golden Bears the same day at Skytop Stadium, hoping to pull off a win and keep themselves in the running for the ACC Championship.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse Softball (27-20, 6-16 ACC) lost their first game in a home series against the University of California, Berkeley (33-18,9-13) 7-0.
The Orange came out of the gate hard. Pitcher Madison Knight struck out the first Cal batter looking, and the defense made quick work of the 2nd and 3rd outs.
Syracuse’s most consistent hitter, Madelyn Lopez started off the first inning with a line drive into right field to get the Orange on base. She was moved to second by a sacrifice bunt from Jadyn Burney, but Lopez would be tagged out trying to run home on a short hit to center field by Vanessa Flores.
This is the closest Syracuse came to scoring the entire game.
The Orange held their opponents for another inning, but Cal came back in the third, driving in four runs on five hits.
Syracuse tried to fight back. The Orange consistently made contact off of both of Cal’s pitchers but were never able to get the hits they needed.
The Orange weren’t able to hold Cal on defense, either.
Knight appeared to struggle in the 5th and 6th innings. She gave up one home run in the fifth and another in the sixth, where she also walked two batters and hit another, allowing Cal to score their 7th and final run.
Knight did strike out the last batter in the 6th inning and came back strong in the 7th – getting another strikeout and allowing no more hits.
But Cal was able to get their three final outs before Syracuse could make any kind of comeback.
With two games left in this series, Syracuse will try to fight back and possibly secure their place in the ACC Championship on May 8th. They will play two more games against Cal on May 3rd and 4th at Skytop Softball Stadium here in Syracuse.