Syracuse rally falls short in 5-4 loss to No. 12 Florida State

Syracuse (15-11, 4-5 Atlantic Coast) scored its first runs of the weekend but still fell to No. 12 Florida State (26-6, 6-0), 5-4, on Sunday in Tallahassee, Florida. The Orange dropped its first two games to the Seminoles by a combined score of 7-0 and started ace Alexa Romero but couldn’t manage to steal a game from the reigning ACC champions.

The teams alternated scoring through the first three innings, with FSU getting on the board first in the bottom of the opening frame. Michala Maciolek tied it in the ensuing inning, doubling home Bryce Holmgren. SU nearly took the lead on the next play, but Lailoni Mayfield was thrown out trying to score the go-ahead run.

The Seminoles took the lead back in the bottom of the third on a little-league home run, as Cali Harrod tripled to right center and scored on an error by Gabby Teran. The score stood at 2-1 until the following bottom-half inning, when Florida State blew the game open. An RBI single by Korina Rosario doubled the Seminoles’ lead and Rosario was driven home a batter later on a Leslie Farris home run to left center.

Syracuse scored an unearned run in the top of the fifth and was shutout in the sixth before putting up a rally in the final inning. A walk, single and error gave the Orange two runners in scoring position with two outs and its best offensive player at the plate.

Holmgren responded with a single down the left field line, cutting the FSU lead to one. She was stranded at first, however, as Mayfield struck out swinging the next at-bat to end the game.

SU takes a break from its conference schedule on Wednesday when it travels to West Point for a doubleheader with Army.