Syracuse shutout for second-straight game by No. 14 Florida State, 6-0

Syracuse (15-10, 4-4 Atlantic Coast) was shutout for the second-straight game by No. 14 Florida State (25-6, 5-0), 6-0, on Saturday afternoon at JoAnne Graf Field in Tallahassee, Florida. It came a day after falling to the Seminoles, 1-0.

After holding the Seminoles scoreless until the sixth inning on Friday, the Orange conceded three runs in the first inning. AnnaMarie Gatti walked three of her first four batters before Elizabeth Mason belted a two-RBI double to left field. The next batter, Anna Shelnutt, drove in another run on a fielder’s choice. Gatti allowed just one hit in the first inning but struggled to find the strike zone.

Over the next two innings, Gatti settled in. The senior allowed three hits and no runs in the second and third innings, striking out one and forcing two double plays. In the fourth, a single, walk and passed ball gave FSU runners on second and third before Sydney Sherrill singled to drive in two runs and extend the Seminoles’ lead to five.

Florida State pitcher Meghan King kept the Orange’s hitters in check from the start. After Alicia Hansen reached base from an error in the first inning, King held SU hitless for five innings. In the sixth, Rachel Burkhardt singled to give Syracuse its first hit of the game. Two batters later, Hansen singled to put runners on the corners, but King struck out Bryce Holmgren to end the inning and preserve her shutout.

In the bottom of the fifth, Miranda Hearn relieved Gatti. That inning, the Seminoles tacked on another run from a sacrifice fly after runners reached second and third from a walk, fielder’s choice and wild pitch. In the Orange’s last chance to get on the board, FSU closer Savanna Copeland retired three of four batters to end the game.

Syracuse will finish its series against FSU tomorrow at 11 a.m.