Syracuse drops 2 1-run contests to Boston College, falls to 1-7 in ACC play
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Just like its first game of the day, Syracuse waited until late to rally. Angel Jasso started the sixth inning with a single and two batters later, Taylor Posner provided the Orange with some life after just one run through 12 innings on the day. Posner blasted a two-run home run to level the game at two.
But Gator Robinson would be the hero for BC. After hitting the winning two-run home run in game one, the Boston College freshman came up with another huge hit. She crushed a ball down the left field line for a double, with a poor throw allowing her to get to third on the play.
Two batters later, Hannah Slike punched the ball up the middle through the drawn-in infield, and completed the doubleheader sweep of the Orange.
With the impending weather in Chestnut Hill, MA looking bleak, Syracuse (13-13, 1-7 Atlantic Coast Conference) took on Boston College (20-8, 3-2 ACC) in a Friday doubleheader, with the third game of the series taking place on Sunday. The Orange were defeated in two tight contests, 2-1 and 3-2.
The Eagle’s Abby Dunning entered the game fourth in the ACC with a 0.92 ERA, with eight complete games in 11 starts. She started strong, striking out two of three to set the Orange down in short order. Madison Knight got the start in the circle for SU and was able to escape an early threat.
The importance of early offense has been crucial for the Orange, as they are 11-2 on the year when they score first. After an error by Rebecca Clyde at third, the nine-hole hitter Robinson hit her first career home run, barely clearing the wall in right-center to put Boston College up 2-0 in the second inning.
Syracuse fought back in the top of the fourth inning. A leadoff walk to Madelyn Lopez and an ensuing double from Posner created an opportunity to get back into the game. But Dunning stayed strong in the circle, striking out two and forcing a weak flyout to thwart the threat.
Both pitchers continued to dominate through the sixth inning, setting up a 2-0 game in the final frame. The Orange had not been able to crack Dunning all day, and was in need of a comeback effort.
Following a Kelly Breen walk, Vanessa Flores smoked her second double of the game to the left-center gap, scoring pinch runner Gabby Lantier to half the deficit. Dunning forced a groundout and a strike out, to bring Clyde to the plate for SU’s last chance. Dunning got out of the jam, striking out Clyde to end game one in a 2-1 Syracuse defeat.
In the opener, Knight pitched six innings, giving up two unearned runs on four hits, while striking out six and walking just one. Despite the solid performance, Knight was outdone by Dunning, who threw a complete game, giving up one run on three hits, while striking out 11.
Game two started similarly to the first, as Syracuse got a leadoff baserunner, but was shut down in short order by Halie Pappion, leaving a runner stranded. Jessie DiPasquale got her first start of the year for the Orange in the circle.
Boston College started fast, with a one-out double by Slike and a hard single by Nicole Giery putting the Eagles up 1-0.
Breen singled and Makenzie Foster bunted on, setting up Clyde with two runners on and two down, but grounded out to short to end the inning. DiPasquale then struck out the side in the bottom of the frame.
Boston College came back in the bottom of the third with immediate pressure, putting two runners in scoring position with just one away. However, DiPasquale forced two straight pop outs to end the inning.
After a quick top of the fourth for the Orange, BC turned to small ball to extend its lead. A single, followed by a sacrifice bunt and an error, put runners on second and third with one away. DiPasquale struck out the next batter, but a dropped ball by Laila Morales-Alves behind the plate allowed the Eagles to score on the throw down to first, increasing the lead to two.
Posner evened the game in the top of the sixth on her ninth home run of the season, and DiPasquale shut down the Eagles in the bottom of the frame, setting up a tight finish.
Pappion handled SU in the top of the inning and opened the door for Boston College to walk it off. Robinson’s double with an error, followed two batters later by Silke’s single up the middle, gave Boston College the doubleheader sweep.
