Syracuse splits doubleheader against NC State

As soon as head coach Shannon Doepking joined Syracuse last fall, she preached to her new team that she wanted to hit for more power.

On Saturday, catcher Alexis Kaiser drove a two-run shot over the fence in Raleigh, North Carolina, for the team’s 15th long ball of the season. SU has 17 regular season games remaining but have already surpassed last year’s home run total of 14.

Kaiser’s home run wasn’t enough to keep pace with NC State, though, and Syracuse (16-20, 5-6 Atlantic Coast) split Saturday’s doubleheader against the Wolfpack (21-17, 3-8). Syracuse had won six of its previous seven games, and won the opening contest, 5-2, but lost the night-capper, 7-2.

In the first game of Syracuse’s doubleheader, ace Alexa Romero struck out 10 batters in her 11th complete game effort. After a shaky start, Romero pitched a perfect final five innings in the 5-2 win. Romero allowed an earned run in the first inning and a home run in the second, but retired every batter she faced for the next five innings. She struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh to earn the complete game and finished with 10 K’s.

Second baseman Gabby Teran started the scoring for SU in the first game, as she took advantage of a wild pitch and a throwing error by NC State’s catcher. Syracuse’s offense faltered in the next two innings, but the bottom of the order strung together hits in the top of the fourth.

Alex Acevedo and Lailoni Mayfield singled to start a four-run burst, as Teran, Gianna Carideo and Kaiser drove runners in. Acevedo, Carideo, Kaiser and Mayfield each crossed home plate to put SU ahead 5-2. All five of SU’s runs came against Wolfpack starter Devin Wallace (2.80 ERA).

In the second game, starter Miranda Hearn allowed seven runs on seven hits and five walks. By the time of Kaiser’s fourth-inning blast, her third of the season, the Wolfpack had already scored five runs. Kaiser went 3-for-6 on the day with three RBIs and two runs scored.

Acevedo, who went 3-for-5 with two walks in the doubleheader, had two of Syracuse’s four hits in the second game. Acevedo extended her hitting streak to nine games.

Sophie Dandola, SU’s No. 2 pitcher, did not appear in the doubleheader, but may pitch in tomorrow’s final game of the series, which starts at 12 p.m.