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Up 2-0 in the top of the third inning in game two against Colgate, Syracuse was in a tough spot. With two outs on the board, the Raiders loaded the bases and were threatening to cut into SU’s lead.

Colgate’s Kara Fusco stepped up to bat and forced SU pitcher Madison Knight into a full count. After four consecutive foul tips, Knight struck Fusco out after 12 pitches.

“I needed that,” Knight said. “I think it showed the passion in our entire team because I know it wasn’t just me fired up. It was a really uplifting moment for our team.”

In its doubleheader Wednesday, Syracuse (18-17, 4-11 Atlantic Coast Conference) was led by strong performances in the circle, defeating Colgate (13-23, 3-6 Patriot League) 2-1 and 3-1 and sweeping the series. Despite its struggles at the plate, SU’s pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts.

After she surrendered 13 runs against then-No. 17 Clemson, Lindsey Hendrix rebounded in game one against Colgate. The senior tallied seven strikeouts and walked just three batters in the longest game of her career.

“You have to find a way to stay locked in, which is hard to do for such a long time,” Hendrix said. “In between innings I wasn’t really thinking too much about (our) hitting, I just tried to stay in my own business and do my own thing.”

In the top of the ninth, the Raiders had the bases loaded with no outs. But Hendrix stuck to her game and responded for the Orange. After Laila Morales-Alves tagged out Fusco’s attempt to slide into home, Hendrix forced Nora Megenity to foul out and Rachel Carney to fly out for the last two outs, stranding all three of Colgate’s baserunners.

“I think during a moment like that you just need to trust the process and our preparation (as pitchers),” Hendrix said. “I just thought of that moment as needing just one good pitch because that’s all I needed to make a difference.”

The Orange would go on to win the game in the bottom of the frame when Madelyn Lopez was hit by Bailey Mickey’s pitch, sending Olivia Pess to home for a walk-off victory.

Knight and Julianna Verni followed up Hendrix’s lights-out performance by combining for eight strikeouts compared to Colgate’s four.

Knight finished her day with two more strikeouts in the fourth before Verni took over on the mound. Verni allowed just one walk and a single hit in the final three innings to seal the series sweep for SU. It marked Syracuse’s first doubleheader sweep against Colgate since April 10, 2001, when the programs met for the first time.

“We’ve been priding ourselves in trusting our defense, (I think of it as) just me and the pitcher versus just the batter and our defense has our back,” said SU catcher Morales-Alves. “It’s just about us trusting ourselves and our preparation.”

Published on April 10, 2024 at 9:45 pm

Contact Matthew: mgray06@syr.edu