Pittsburgh thumps Syracuse for 22 runs in game 2 of doubleheader

Five innings, four Syracuse pitchers, 22 Pittsburgh runs.

Syracuse was overmatched.

“We struggled today pitching, obviously,” SU head coach Leigh Ross said. “… Pitt’s a good hitting team, so you can’t take that away from them. When they needed the big hits, they got the big hits.”

In the second game of a Saturday doubleheader at SU Softball Stadium, the Orange (15-21, 1-9 Atlantic Coast) lost 22-7 to Pitt (28-14, 8-9) in a game shortened by the mercy rule, after conceding the first game, 8-6. Freshman AnnaMarie Gatti started game two and pitched two innings before SU went with a different pitcher each inning for the rest of the game.

Leading off the game, Gatti walked Shelby Pickett. Two fielders’ choices and a bunt later, McKayla Taylor bombed a home run over the playground beyond the right-centerfield fence.

Gatti induced a ground out to open the second before giving up back-to-back singles followed by a walk to load the bases. Pitt’s Jenna Modic hit a swinging bunt back to Gatti, who misplayed the ball, allowing a run to score and the bases to remain loaded.

“I don’t think (Gatti) was feeling as good as she wanted to be,” Ross said. “But you know, she’s a freshman and she’s young and she’s just getting back into it.”

After a sacrifice fly to deep center, Gatti hit Taylor to load the bases again. Kaitlin Manuel followed with a single that landed in front of second baseman Sammy Fernandez. After the ball rolled into the outfield, two runs scored, extending the Panthers’ lead to 7-0.

Gatti loaded the bases with another walk, but got the next out to end the inning and her day on the mound.

Lindsey Larkin came in to pitch the third, but didn’t find much more success than Gatti.

Pitt loaded the bases with one out for Carly Thea, who singled home a run, prompting Ross to send Sydney O’Hara to the bullpen to warm up. Taylor followed with a bases-clearing double.

The next batter, Manuel, hit a fly ball to left field that Rachel Burkhardt dropped, which allowed Pitt’s fifth run of the inning to score, but the freshman recovered to throw Manuel out when she attempted to advance to second.

Larkin struck out the next batter to end the third inning, but the damage was done. The Panthers were up 12-0 before the Orange even hit for the third time.

Syracuse managed only one hit through the first two innings. Only when the game was out of reach did the Orange bats came to life.

In the last three innings, the team managed to collect seven runs on 10 hits. On a full count, Alyssa Dewes blasted a three-run home run into the trees behind the right-centerfield fence to round out the scoring for SU.

“Too little, too late,” Ross said. “… It was great to get (11) hits or seven runs, but we needed more earlier.”

Syracuse will look to prevent a Panthers sweep at noon on Sunday at SU Softball Stadium. The team has already been swept in three games by two other conference opponents.

“Well, now’s when we prove who we are,” Ross said. “This is where your character shows. However you deal with the adversity, come back tomorrow and let’s see who we are.”