Syracuse tops Cornell, 4-2, behind 3 hits from Sammy Fernandez

Syracuse (29-19, 9-12 Atlantic Coast) outlasted Cornell (13-24, 8-10 Ivy), 4-2, on Monday afternoon at Niemand-Robison Softball Field in Ithaca, New York. The win was the Orange’s ninth victory in its last 10 games.

SU’s first four batters — Sammy Fernandez, Alicia Hansen, Bryce Holmgren and Gabby Teran — combined for nine of Syracuse’s 10 hits. Fernandez added three runs and two stolen bases, while Teran led the team with two RBIs. Megan Murray and Tori Togashi each tallied two hits for the home team.

After scoring two runs in its previous two games, the Orange jumped out to a quick start. Each of its first four batters reached base in the first inning, from which Syracuse mustered two runs after a wild pitch by Cornell’s Cora Geunes and an RBI single from Teran.

The Big Red followed SU’s two-run first by evening the score in the bottom half of the inning. AnnaMarie Gatti, fresh off a complete game, three-hit shutout on Saturday versus North Carolina, surrendered five hits in the first. The senior escaped the inning with a fielder’s choice before Cornell was able to take the lead, leaving three runners on base.

The Orange was the next to strike, and again it was Fernandez who sparked it. The senior opened the third inning with a single, stole second and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly from Holmgren to put Syracuse ahead. In the fifth, Fernandez reached base again and scored SU’s fourth run of the game after a single, stolen base and groundout.

After Gatti’s shaky first inning, she rediscovered her form from Saturday against UNC. Over the next three innings, Gatti allowed three hits, one in each inning, and zero runs. Miranda Hearn replaced Gatti in the bottom of the fifth, in which she retired the side. To start the bottom of the sixth, Hearn gave up a leadoff double, but recovered with three-straight strikeouts on nine pitches. The freshman pitcher retired the side for a second time in the bottom of the seventh, ending the game.

Syracuse will play its final two regular season games on Wednesday, when it faces Colgate for a doubleheader at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Skytop Softball Stadium.