Alexa Romero’s no-hitter leads Syracuse to sweep of Virginia Tech in ACC opener

Alexa Romero threw her second no-hitter of the season against Virginia Tech (10-12, 0-2 Atlantic Coast) on Friday, leading Syracuse (12-6, 2-0) to a 2-0 win in the first game of its doubleheader sweep in Blacksburg, Virginia. The sophomore’s first no-no was a perfect game, the second in SU history, on Feb. 17 in an 8-0 victory against Sacramento State. Her performance against the Hokies on Friday is the ninth no-hitter in Syracuse history and makes her the second Orange pitcher ever to pitch multiple no-hitters, joining Jenna Caira.

AnnaMarie Gatti spun a gem of her own in the second game of the twin bill, an 8-1 SU win. The senior went 5.1 innings and held Virginia to one unearned run on four hits, earning her third win of the season.

The Orange tallied just two runs on two hits in the day’s opener, but it was clear early on that Romero wouldn’t need much offensive support. She set down the first five batters she faced via strikeout, all the swinging variety, before inducing a fly out to end the streak. Syracuse sparked the first and only rally of the contest in the next half inning, begun by a Gianna Carideo walk. After a strikeout, single and fielder’s choice, the Orange found itself with runners on first and third with Bryce Holmgren, its best offensive player, up to bat.

The junior didn’t disappoint, continuing her breakout season with a two-run double to put SU on the board. It would be the last time a runner would advance past second base the rest of the game, as both offenses were limited in the final four and a half innings. The Hokies managed to earn a base runner in the top of the fifth via a walk, ending Romero’s streak of 13-consecutive batters retired to begin the game. VT tallied another walk in the seventh inning, but neither team threated the rest of the contest and the Orange took game one of the doubleheader, 2-0.

Syracuse’s offense couldn’t be contained in the second game, scoring early and often against the Hokies. It began in the top of the first, when Alicia Hansen drove in Sammy Fernandez two batters into the game to take a 1-0 lead. Gabby Teran followed Hansen’s lead a couple batters later, driving Hansen in with a sacrifice fly after she’d advanced to third on a wild pitch.

The Orange had success in the next inning as well, scoring its third run of the game on a single by Fernandez that brought Miranda Hearn in to score. The game stayed deadlocked at 3-0 until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Virginia Tech scored its first run of the game. One run was all it scored, though, allowing SU to boost its lead back up to three the next half inning on another RBI by Teran.

A scoreless half inning for VT brought the contest to the top of the sixth, when Syracuse put the game away for good. After a walk and a double to start the inning, Toni Martin drove in both with a single up the middle to push the Orange lead to 6-1. A triple by Hansen two batters later followed by an RBI single by Holmgren brought the Virginia Tech deficit to seven, and the nail was put in the Hokies’ coffin.

As if VT hadn’t seen enough of her earlier in the day, Romero came in relief of Gatti in the bottom of the inning. Despite entering a bases-loaded, one-out jam, Romero proceeded to pick up where she left off, striking out two Hokies swinging to get out of the inning. She continued her dominance in the seventh inning, setting down the Virginia Tech side in order to end the game.

Syracuse is back in action tomorrow, when it will finish its series with the Hokies at 12 p.m.