Syracuse finishes ACC-Big Ten challenge with 5-1 loss to No. 24 Indiana

Eight games into its season, situational hitting continues to plague Syracuse’s offense. The Orange had a runner reach base in six of the seven innings on Sunday, but scored just one run.

No. 24 Indiana (9-0) defeated Syracuse (2-6), 5-1, as the Hoosiers delivered with timely hitting in the fifth and sixth innings to grow their lead. Syracuse left eight runners on base in total.

SU head coach Shannon Doepking stressed entering the season that the Orange would need to focus more on hitting for power instead of stringing together multiple singles in one inning. So far this season, SU has 38 hits, and 26 of them have been singles. While IU took advantage of its chances, SU’s woes with runners in scoring position began from the opening inning, a continuing trend that has led to multiple early-season close losses, including three by just one run.

With Alicia Hansen on second in the opening frame, Alexis Kaiser popped out to end the Syracuse half. In the second inning, Jessica Skladal went down swinging with runners on first and second.

The lone Syracuse run came on a Bryce Holmgren single in the third inning, when an error allowed Hansen to score from third.

With the game tied at one entering the fifth, the Hoosiers’ bats came alive. Camryn Woodall and Katie Lacefield launched back-to-back homers, giving IU a 3-1 lead. Doepking pulled Peyton Schnackenberg in favor of Sophie Dandola.

The Orange had an immediate chance to answer in the bottom of the inning, but their lack of situational hitting proved costly. With Gabby Teran and Holmgren already on base, SU had just one out.

A fielder’s choice by Kaiser and ground out from Alex Acevedo stranded two. The next inning, IU’s lead doubled. Two more unearned runs, on top of the unearned run from the second inning, doomed SU.

The Orange finished the ACC-Big Ten challenge 1-3, and will travel to their next tournament, the Bubly Invitational in Gainesville, Florida, next weekend.