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After an opening game victory against Maryland, Syracuse looked to mount a comeback late in the second bout of its doubleheader versus Southeastern Louisiana. In the top of the sixth, Taylor Posner connected on a two-RBI bases-loaded single to tie the game 6-6.

But in the bottom of the frame, Southeastern Louisiana capitalized on critical SU errors to regain an 8-6 lead before Cera Blanchard shut the door in the seventh.

After starting the season with a 3-2 record in Conway, S.C., Syracuse ventured to Hammond, La., for the Southeastern Louisiana Lion Classic. The Orange (4-3, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) began the weekend by splitting their Friday doubleheader. SU came back from two down to win 6-3 against Maryland (3-4, 0-0 Big Ten) but was bested by Southeastern Louisiana (6-1, 0-0 Southland) 8-6 in a back-and-forth affair.

In the first game of the doubleheader, Syracuse elected to start the same way it had the weekend prior, putting Lindsey Hendrix in the circle. After dominating Southeast Missouri State 9-1 in six innings the previous match, Maryland went with graduate pitcher Courtney Wyche. The two veterans kept the contest scoreless through the first two innings.

In the bottom of the third, the Terrapins struck first. With the bases loaded and no outs, Jaeda McFarland doubled, bringing in the game’s first two runs. But Hendrix escaped further damage, giving up only two in the inning.

Syracuse was held hitless through four innings, but its bats came alive in the fifth. Following a leadoff walk, Kelly Breen laced a double over Caitlyn Cornwell’s head in left field for SU’s first hit. A walk to Laila Morales-Alves loaded the bases with nobody out. The Terrapins cracked under the pressure, as an errant throw at shortstop by Sammi Woods scored the Orange’s first run of the game. Rebecca Clyde then singled, tying the game.

To begin the sixth, Maryland continued to make mistakes as a leadoff walk and another error from Woods put runners on second and third. Madelyn Lopez then immediately drove in SU’s third run. After dominating early, the Orange knocked Wyche out of the game.

Reliever Keira Bucher could not clean up Wyche’s mess. Morales-Alves singled, adding another run, then pinch hitter Vanessa Flores drove in Lopez on a single to left field. Syracuse finished a strong sixth with a 5-2 lead.

Catcher Delaney Reefe cut Maryland’s deficit to two in the bottom of the inning, clobbering a solo home run to left field. A proceeding Mazie MacFarlane double ended Hendrix’s afternoon. She finished with a commanding nine strikeouts while walking only one. SU reliever Britney Lewinski found herself in a bases-loaded jam with two outs, but she struck out McFarland to end the inning.

Breen extended Syracuse’s lead on an RBI single in the top of the seventh. With the extra run support, Lewinski comfortably closed out the game, securing a 6-3 win.

Entering its contest against SU, Southeastern Louisiana outscored its opponents 32-4 in its first six games, including five shutouts. Madison Knight, who did not play in the first game, was tasked with shutting down the Lions’ explosive offense in the Orange’s second game.

Syracuse went down in the second, as a walk and an error from Breen allowed left fielder Cam Goodman to bring home both runners on a single. Goodman found her way to third base on another Orange error and a stolen base. This led to a Ka’Lyn Watson single, scoring the second unearned run of the inning to put SLU ahead 3-0.

Not phased by the Lions’ quick start, the Orange stormed back in the top of the third. An error and a misplayed fielder’s choice by SLU’s defense were followed by back-to-back RBI base hits from Angel Jasso and Posner. Then, a crucial error by second baseman Maddie Watson scored two, giving SU a 4-3 lead.

Lions’ pitcher Ellie DuBois, who came into the contest with a 0.64 ERA, exited just two and a third innings into the game.

After continuous chances by both teams fell through, SLU took its lead back in the bottom of the fifth. First baseman Lexi Johnson cleared the center field wall for a two-run homer. Just two batters later, Audrey Greely hit the second home run of the inning for the Lions, making the game 6-4 and ending Knight’s outing.

Just like the third inning, SU bounced back in the sixth, loading the bags with two outs in the top half of the sixth before Posner’s game-tying RBIs. Lopez struck out the next batter looking, as the game remained knotted 6-6 before the Lions scored a pair in the bottom of the frame and closed the game out in the seventh.

Published on February 16, 2024 at 9:27 pm

Contact Nick: nsjepson@syr.edu