Syracuse splits doubleheader to open USF Tournament

Catie Dobbs started for the Orange in the opener against Rutgers, the fourth pitching appearance of her collegiate career. In her first appearance — also against Rutgers — she gave up two runs on three hits in 3 1/3 innings. But on Friday, Dobbs started by retiring the first six batters she faced.

The Orange (6-8) went on to top the Scarlet Knights (6-9), 6-1, but for the third time this season, Syracuse dropped the second half of a doubleheader after winning the first game, as Texas A&M – Corpus Christi (5-9) defeated the Orange 7-3.

In the third inning against Rutgers, Kiana Workman, doubled to left after two dropped foul balls. Workman scored on an RBI single by Aleah Marra. Dobbs retired 12 of the next 16 batters she faced, finishing the game with one run (unearned) and six strikeouts over seven innings.

The offense also excelled, with Gabby Teran homering on the second at-bat of the game. Syracuse scored six runs on eight hits, including back-to-back RBI doubles by Toni Martin and Paris Woods in the fourth inning.

It was a revenge game for Syracuse, who lost twice to Rutgers in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge two weeks ago. The team was excited for the game and believed they had an advantage, head coach Shannon Doepking said before traveling to Tampa.

“We’ve seen everything they have to throw at us,” Doepking said. “We’ve seen their hitters, we’ve seen their pitchers, we’ve seen everything.”

Both the hitting and pitching failed to carry their momentum into the second game against Texas A&M – Corpus Christi.

Kaia Oliver started in the circle and pitched a scoreless first. A throwing error by Neli Casares-Maher in the second caused the first run to score. In the third, Oliver gave up just her second home run of the season, to Sydney Hoyt, giving the Islanders a 3-0 lead. Oliver’s three earned runs in 2 1/3 innings are tied for the second-most of the season, and the most in an appearance of fewer than six innings.

Alexa Romero entered the game in the third. She struck out three batters to hold the Islanders to a four-run lead.

After striking out twice against Rutgers, Jamie Gregg singled in the third inning to put send Martin home and put the Orange on the board. The team scored two more runs to bring the run deficit to one.

But Romero remained inconsistent. In the fourth inning, she loaded the bases with no outs, but only allowed one run to score. She struck out the side to hold the Islanders to a two-run lead.

Haley Morse doubled in the fifth off Romero, scoring two and increasing their lead to 7-3. Romero pitched two scoreless innings to end the game, but the offense couldn’t come back, and the Orange lost 7-3.

Syracuse plays South Florida Saturday to finish the round robin of the tournament. The teams will be then seeded and play in the semifinals Saturday, with the final round on Sunday.