Syracuse’s season likely ends with 2-1 loss to Louisville at ACC tournament
Syracuse (30-20, 9-12 Atlantic Coast) fell to Louisville (33-19, 10-12 Atlantic Coast), 2-1, in the opening round of the ACC tournament at Mewborn Field in Atlanta, Georgia. The ninth-seeded Orange likely saw its season end on Wednesday, as its chances of receiving an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament are microscopic. Before Wednesday, SU had an RPI (ratings power index) of 90, well outside a potential spot in the NCAA field of 64.
In the circle for Cardinals was Megan Hensley, who acts as UL’s top pitcher and hitter. In Louisville’s 3-2 victory over the Orange on April 13, Hensley conjured up a complete game, eight strikeout performance, while launching a solo-shot in the first inning. AnnaMarie Gatti, who pitched in SU’s 4-3 win in the second game of its doubleheader versus Louisville, started in the circle for the nine-seed.
After a scoreless first inning, the Cardinals were the first to get on the board in the bottom of the second. Gatti walked the first batter, Nicole Pufahl, who later advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. A batter later, Kyra Snyder drilled a single up the middle, scoring Pufahl and giving Louisville a one-run advantage.
Through three innings, the Orange went without a hit. Hensley struck out just two SU batters in that span, while forcing four pop-outs and three groundouts. In the bottom of the inning, ACC All-Freshmen selection Maddy Newman sparked the Cardinals’ second run.
Newman singled, then stole second two batters later. The freshman proceeded to score with ease off a double to the right-center field gap by Jenna Jordan. UL’s two-run lead inclined Syracuse head coach Mike Bosch to replace Gatti with Alexa Romero after the third inning.
The Orange got its sole run of the game in the fourth via an Alicia Hansen solo-shot, her fifth of the year. Hensley hit Bryce Holmgren with a pitch in the following at-bat, but gathered herself to retire Gabby Teran and Neli Casares-Maher to end the inning.
The substitution of Romero into the game meant struggles at the plate for the Cardinals. The sophomore retired nine of ten batters, allowing zero hits while striking out four. Romero’s brilliance, however, was matched by her counterpart over the final three innings. SU’s sole baserunner for the rest of the game came from a single by Holmgren in the seventh.
The Orange will await the reveal of the NCAA tournament bracket on May 13.