AnnaMarie Gatti stifles Colgate in 2-0 SU win

AnnaMarie Gatti allowed an early double as Meghan Romero connected on a pitch, sending it into the left-field corner. Romero strolled in to second base, leaving Colgate with an early opportunity to grab the lead.

True to her recent form in her last few starts in Syracuse, she retired the next 16 batters.

Gatti delivered her third consecutive home complete game shutout to propel Syracuse (30-19, 9-12 Atlantic Coast) past Colgate (11-29, 6-9 Patriot) 2-0. Gatti rolled through the Colgate lineup nearly three full times without ever facing multiple base runners in one inning. Gatti allowed three hits Wednesday night, striking out six, marking 21 consecutive home innings pitched without allowing a run.

In her last two home outings entering the win over Colgate, Gatti threw 14 shutout innings in two wins for the Orange.

Once the SU offense provided two runs in the first two innings, Gatti said she felt comfortable, mowing down the Raider hitters in order. She faced a runner in scoring position just once in the first inning and had no issues of working around.

“If I get the leadoff I feel more relieved,” Gatti said, “because more times than not, the leadoff runner gets me.”

Gatti retired the leadoff hitter in the first inning, on a line out to center. The double down the line left Syracuse facing a potential early deficit, until Gatti registered a strikeout and an infield pop out to end the inning.

The senior retired the leadoff hitter in all seven innings. Syracuse head coach Mike Bosch said that since returning from Notre Dame on April 8, Gatti’s rhythm has produced improved results on the mound.

“You find a point where they turn a corner,” Bosch said. “Commanding the zone, she’s really getting ahead with batters, using her pitches effectively, hitting her spots.”

As her changeup produced fly balls, and often solid contact, Gatti turned to the drop ball to record outs. She forced the next three hitters — and five of the next six — into groundouts. The entire infield went through fielding practice as they piled up infield assists.

The second time through the order, Gatti faced Romero again in the top of the fourth. This time, Gatti struck her out. Gatti said she doesn’t really think much about her hitter’s tendencies when she’s standing on the mound.

She leaves that to catcher Michala Maciolek and assistant coach Miranda Kramer, who compile hitting tendencies and charts for opposing teams. Maciolek and Kramer make the calls, and Gatti delivers the pitches. This simplifies pitching for Gatti, she said, allowing her to focus on hitting the strike zone and producing the necessary movement on her pitches.

“It is easier if you play your own game,” Gatti said. “It took me awhile to realize that, but it’s better if I just play my game.”

After the first two batters she faced produced solid contact, Gatti avoided solid contact for most of the evening. Both of the two other hits Gatti allowed could have easily been outs, as a 2-out line drive hit off the glove of leaping first base Faith Cain in the top of the sixth. Cain nearly reeled in the laser, but instead, Gatti allowed her first baserunner since the opening frame. She responded with a fastball first pitch to Romero, who grounded out to third to the end inning.

Later, with two outs in the seventh, Gatti misplayed a weak grounder at her feet, and a hit was awarded. She responded by striking out the next batter.

Gatti pounded the strike zone on Wednesday, getting ahead in counts and using the drop ball to finish off hitters. She tallied six strikeouts, three looking, as the Raiders rarely made solid contact. She avoided free passes to Colgate hitters, with zero walks allowed. Walks have plagued Gatti in previously poor outings.

Against Niagara, Gatti walked eight batters, allowing five runs in just four innings. As Syracuse transitions into the postseason, the Orange will need starts similar to the last three for Gatti if it wants to make a deep run in the ACC tournament and qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

“Everything you want a pitcher to do, she’s been doing,” Bosch said. “She’s gotten real big outs, and that leads to wins.”