Toni Martin’s 3-run homer lifts SU over Notre Dame in season-opener
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Syracuse defeated Notre Dame 3-2 on Friday, a day after the scheduled season-opening doubleheader against the Irish was canceled. Toni Martin’s 3-run home run in the bottom of the 4th was the difference-maker, and Alexa Romero and Kaia Oliver combined to give up only three hits and two runs over seven innings.
After a quiet first 3 innings, junior Jamie Gregg walked, followed by a Lailoni Mayfield single through the left side, giving Martin, hitting in the five spot, an opportunity to earn her first RBIs of the season. Her home run into center field gave SU a 3-0 lead. It was Martin’s first homer since last February against Texas Tech.
Romero, who decided in the spring to return to Syracuse for a graduate season, got the Opening Day nod from third-year head coach Shannon Doepking. She cruised through her first 5 2/3 innings pitched before running into trouble in the top of the 6th. ND’s Abby Sweet singled before Romero walked Karina Gaskins, putting two on with two out. Leea Hanks knocked a two-run double into left field, and Doepking pulled Romero in favor of Oliver.
Romero ended her first appearance of the season with a line of 5.2 innings pitched, three hits, two earned runs and no strikeouts. It was Romero’s first start without striking out a hitter in her career. SU’s second all-time leader in strikeouts didn’t add to her 661 career mark Friday night, but she did earn her 47th career win — one away from a tie for second all-time.
Oliver’s first batter of the season resulted in a walk of senior third baseman Sarah Genz, putting the tying run on first base. Oliver was able to escape the inning, though, by forcing Carlli Kloss into a groundout. She returned for the top of the 7th, pitching a 1-2-3 inning that concluded with Emma Clark striking out, looking for the Fighting Irish.
For Notre Dame, senior Alexis Holloway pitched five innings, only giving up the 3-run home run and striking out eight Orange batters. Payton Tidd came in for relief to pitch the bottom of the 6th, allowing only a single to Neli Casares-Maher before retiring the next three hitters.
The win was the second consecutive season-opening win for Syracuse. SU’s first weekend of action in 2021 will continue Saturday with a doubleheader against North Carolina in Chapel Hill. The first game is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. and the second at 1:30 p.m. Last season, Syracuse won two out of three contests against the Tar Heels, their final series before the rest of the 2020 season was shortened due to COVID-19.
