Syracuse fails to capitalize on 3rd inning burst in series sweep loss to No. 2 Florida State

In the third inning against No. 2 Florida State, Bryce Holmgren sent a ball soaring into left-center field. What had been a silent crowd for most of the game stood in anticipation. When it cleared the fence, the crowd and SU bench exploded. Players ran out to the plate to congratulate their teammate.

The Orange pulled ahead by one, but the moment faded in another loss.

Syracuse (19-15, 3-9 Atlantic Coast) could not take advantage of a strong third inning in which the Orange put up five runs against the nation’s second-best team in the Seminoles (38-1-1, 18-0). SU lost, 6-5, in as FSU completed a series sweep. Following the explosion in the third, Florida State plugged its ace, Jessica Burroughs, into the game and SU struggled to get anything going.

“We were in their head,” Holmgren said, “They had to throw their ace. It’s a confidence boost because they didn’t even have the trust to throw their number two (pitcher). The ball’s still in our hands, we’re in a good position.”

Following the third, the Orange showed little sign of life on the offensive side. After two strong defensive stands against a Florida State team that leads the NCAA with a team batting average of .367, the Orange failed to get on base and a sixth-inning homer put the Seminoles back on top for good.

After the explosive third inning, Syracuse led for another two innings before surrendering the lead in the sixth. The Orange players saw the output in the third as a positive indicator, but Bosch said he’s not ready to take moral victories after the weekend. SU finished the weekend winless in three games.

The Orange offense has shown its potency at times, tallying nine runs against Florida State in Saturday’s game, as well as erupting for 13 against Binghamton in a dominant showing last week.

“It’s just the game of softball,” Bosch said. “It’s momentum back and forth.”

In the fifth, shortstop Sammy Fernandez ripped a line drive over the center fielder’s head to lead the inning off with a double for SU. The Orange seemed poised to make a run back into the game, trailing by only a run, but the following three batters struck out in order. Fernandez had the only hit Burroughs allowed in her four-inning showing.

“I went up there tried to get the inning started,” Fernandez said, “but nothing happened. We’re constantly always missing. We’re so close.”