Softball

Syracuse scores 8 of 13 runs with 2 outs in shutout win over N.C. State

Zach Barlow | Asst. Photo Editor

Syracuse buckled down with two outs on Sunday against N.C. State in a 13-0 win.

Hannah Dossett sent the third pitch of the second inning just below the “5” on the scoreboard beyond the left-field fence. The ball had soared at the height of the lights before it hit the scoreboard and ricocheted back onto the field.

SU assistant coach Alisa Goler had told Dossett to sit on the inside pitch. After two balls, North Carolina State starter Courtney Mirabella came in with an inside fastball thigh-high. Dossett sent it out for a home run.

A few minutes later, Olivia Martinez sent one over the left-field wall about 15 feet from where Dossett’s homer landed.

The blasts were only the start of a 12-hit parade in the Orange’s (23-18, 8-9 Atlantic Coast) 13-0 win over North Carolina State (20-26, 4-11) Sunday afternoon at SU Softball Stadium. The Orange’s ability to limit the number of runners it left on base and score with two outs was the key in its rubber-game win over the Wolfpack.

“We just came up with the big hit that we needed,” said Sammy Fernandez, who went 4-for-4 with five RBI.



Fernandez got one of those big hits in the third inning. While at bat, she said she was thinking of keeping her front shoulder in. After Alyssa Dewes worked a walk to load the bases, Fernandez did just that, staying in on an outside pitch and lacing a bases-clearing double to left-center field.

The hit came with two outs and runners in scoring position, two areas in which SU excelled on Sunday. Eight of SU’s 13 runs came with two outs. With runners in scoring position, the Orange went 6-for-12, which led to SU having one fewer hit (12) than runs scored (13).

When the big hit was needed, somebody stepped up.

SU went 6-for-25 with runners in scoring position on Saturday and only two of its nine runs came with two outs between both games. The Orange had gotten hits all day — it pounded 20 of them — but couldn’t string them together. On Sunday, it was a different story.

With two outs and runners on second and third base in the bottom of the fourth, Martinez squeezed a blooper over first base to score two. Martinez finished with two hits and four RBI. Later in the inning, Maddi Doane knocked home another run with two outs. She finished 2-for-4 with three RBI.

“We found a lot of holes today,” Dossett said. “We just kept hitting it.”

Syracuse’s series-clinching win moves its home record to 9-3. The Orange, winners of its last five series, has jumped up a spot to No. 6 in the conference. The top eight teams advance to the ACC tournament.

Before today’s game, SU head coach Mike Bosch reminded his players that they’ve beaten good teams while down. A win over Notre Dame last month came on a walk-off. The Orange overcame a two-run deficit against Georgia Tech two weeks ago. Down 7-4 at Virgina last weekend, SU came back and won. And yesterday, the Orange fought out of a 4-0 hole to win it in the 10th inning.

But on Sunday, the Orange didn’t have to worry about any of that.

“It’s a refuse to lose attitude that is sometimes really hard to teach,” Bosch said. “It’s a great time of the year to have that, so let’s see what we can do the next two weeks.”





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