Syracuse loses to Georgia Tech on 2nd-straight walk-off

Syracuse entered the bottom of the seventh inning in the exact same position as it did on Friday — tied with Georgia Tech. On Saturday, the Orange were looking to avenge a walk-off from the previous day.

But SU was handed the same fate. Junior Alexa Romero entered for sophomore Sophie Dandola in the pitcher’s circle, and she was unable to record an out. GT’s Breanna Roper earned a walk and took second on an error by catcher Gianna Carideo. Roper then scored following back-to-back Yellow Jacket singles. Roper’s run gave Georgia Tech (29-23, 10-10 Atlantic Coast) an 8-7 win over Syracuse (20-27, 8-12).

Syracuse jumped on top in the first inning, when first baseman Alex Acevedo singled in Alicia Hansen. Lailoni Mayfield came to the plate with a chance to double the lead with Acevedo on second, but she struck out swinging.

After consecutive effective outings, sophomore pitcher Miranda Hearn started the game for SU. Unlike those previous outings, Hearn struggled with her control. She walked four batters and allowed six runs, only two earned. The Yellow Jackets grabbed a 2-1 lead by the end of the opening inning. The next time through the order, though, the top of the lineup delivered for Syracuse. Hansen launched a three-run home run to left-center field to give SU a 4-2 lead.

GT answered again. The Yellow Jackets’ Kaylee Ellebracht doubled down the line in left to score two more runners and tie the game. After Alexis Kaiser’s home run in the fourth, SU head coach Shannon Doepking opted to keep Hearn in the game. Hearn recorded just one out before she was pulled for  Dandola, who hadn’t pitched since March 30.

Dandola was SU’s number two pitcher for most of the nonconference season, and Doepking declined to comment about the extended absence. She pitched 2.2 innings in relief and allowed just one run before she was pulled entering the seventh inning.

While Dandola kept the GT bats under control, SU clawed its way back to a tie in the sixth and seventh innings. Carideo singled in pinch runner Jessica Skladal in the sixth, and sophomore Neli Casares-Maher singled in pinch runner Logan Paul in the seventh to tie the game. In both innings, SU also squandered opportunities with runners in scoring position.

Prior to the series with Georgia Tech, Doepking called on her offense to provide more production at the plate. And while SU’s offense improved in the first two games of the set, the Orange have two losses to show for it.

SU will close out the three-game set with Georgia Tech on Sunday at 10 a.m.