Syracuse splits doubleheader, advances to USF Tournament championship

Syracuse (7-9) split its Saturday doubleheader at the USF Tournament, losing to South Florida (9-7) in a game that featured a combined seven hits before beating Rutgers (7-11) in the semifinal game. The Orange prevailed over the Scarlet Knights for the second time in as many days, scoring 17 runs between the two games.

SU recorded two hits against USF’s Georgina Corrick (7-3), wasting Alexa Romero’s best outing of the year in the 1-0 loss. Romero allowed only five hits and no earned runs. She recorded nine strikeouts and did not walk a batter.

Gabby Teran opened the day for the Orange with a single and steal to get into scoring position but could not be driven home on SU’s next two at-bats. The Bulls scored the only run of the game in the third inning. AnaMarie Bruni reached second on an error by Rebecca Clyde before being driven in on a subsequent single. SU tallied only one more hit the rest of the way.

SU freshman Catie Dobbs was shelled against Rutgers, giving up four runs in only two-thirds innings of work. Kaia Oliver took over for Dobbs and threw a no-hitter the rest of the way. Syracuse responded with 10 unanswered runs in the next two frames. Alexis Kaiser led the Orange, going three-for-three with four RBIs in the game. Her two-run home run and RBI double in the second and fourth innings put Rutgers away. 

With the win, Syracuse advanced to the championship game of the USF tournament and will play the winner of USF and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi tomorrow.