Romero, Oliver combine for 20 strikeouts in doubleheader sweep over Buffalo

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Sophomore Kaia Oliver quickly worked an 0-2 count on Alexis Matheney at the top of the third inning. Matheney fouled one off, laid off a ball high, then became entrenched in a battle with Oliver that lasted 10 pitches and included three straight fouled pop flies down the left-field line.

On the 10th pitch, Matheney skied one to left field. Paris Woods gave way for Toni Martin to catch the fly, and despite not appearing in a game since March 28, Oliver finally overcame the cleanup hitter.

Syracuse (13-9, 6-6 Atlantic Coast) swept its doubleheader against Buffalo (6-19, 4-6 Mid-American) on Tuesday in its first home game in 702 days. The Orange scored 15 runs between the two games, but a pair of stellar pitching performances from Alexa Romero and Oliver held the Bulls to just three runs in 13 innings. The tandem struck out a combined 20 batters to extend Syracuse’s winning streak to seven — its longest since 2018.

Romero tied her career-high in strikeouts in game one, striking out 13 batters. She set down the first six that way and didn’t allow a runner to reach base until the top of the fifth.

“When we went down to Duke … at that point, it was kind of figuring out who was going to (be the ace),” head coach Shannon Doepking said. “And at this point, (Romero) has done a really good job.”

Romero’s now thrown two straight complete games, and her third of the season, all of which came after March 26. Romero only went six or more innings twice in her 10 previous appearances this year.

Brianna Castro was set down in the fifth inning on Romero’s first looking strikeout of the day, but the home plate umpire called catcher Geana Torres for interference. Romero got the final Buffalo hitter to fly out to center, and the only threat from UB during game one was neutralized.

After each ensuing strikeout, Romero stared down Torres. She pointed excitedly after overpowering each hitter. Romero’s rise ball wasn’t working that well today, but it was okay because the team as a whole is learning to win on days when not everything is going right, Doepking said.

Oliver picked up right where Romero left off, striking out two in the first inning. After she got Rachel Steffan to strike out on a 51-MPH off-speed pitch to end the inning, the entire Orange team jumped out of the dugout, chanting “yes, yes, yes.”

Ally Sobaszek came to the plate in the top of the fourth in game two for her first at-bat of the day. The freshman has a .297 OBP but was sent back to the dugout after three straight whiffs. SU also held Anna Aguon, Buffalo’s top hitter who leads the Bulls in batting average (.302), home runs (four) and RBIs (15), to one hit. Despite entering the game with a collective .339 OBP, the Bills only scored in two of the 13 innings.

“It’s good to see the kids continue to come out and have energy and enjoy the game … and play the game fast,” Doepking said. “At this point in the season, it’s easy to not play that way, especially when you’re in the middle of a grind.”

In the fifth inning, Buffalo’s Alexis Lucyshyn grounded an off-speed pitch to the left side. Neli Casares-Maher read it well, but she couldn’t reach far enough, and the ball slipped through for the Bulls’ first hit against Romero. She threw seven pitches to the ensuing batter, but the Bills’ hitter was able to push a grounder through the right side, advancing Lucyshyn to second. Romero retired three of the next four batters to get out of the jam and end the inning.

After already throwing four pitches to Steffan, Romero hit her in the next inning. That was followed by a strikeout, then Steffan stole second, and the next batter was Romero’s 12th strikeout. Lucyshyn stepped up and swung at a ball high in the zone and outside. It soared over the right field fence, slicing the Buffalo deficit to four. It was Romero’s first home run she’d given up since March 13 against Charlotte.

But the hit was the most success Buffalo would get Tuesday afternoon. Oliver looked shaky in the second inning, and Buffalo found themselves tied 1-1 when Jenna Richmond grounded to third. Third baseman Rebecca Clyde let the ball go through her legs — the first of two times she’d let that happen in game two — and Matheney touching home made the score 1-1.

She didn’t let up another run, and the game ended on a mercy rule after Syracuse added eight more.