Since Shannon Doepking took over as head coach of Syracuse this offseason, she’s tried to overhaul the team’s approach to hitting. Instead of stringing together singles, Doepking has preached new swing patterns to produce more homeruns, even if hitters swing and miss more often.

On Sunday afternoon, Syracuse (10-18, 2-4 Atlantic Coast) fulfilled Doepking’s vision. For the third time this season, the Orange hit multiple home runs to defeat Boston College (10-16, 2-4), 8-3, and avoid a weekend sweep.

In a game that Syracuse had four fewer hits than BC, the long ball was the difference. Junior outfielder Toni Martin hit her team-leading fourth homer of the season in the fifth inning. Martin’s two-run shot and sophomore Gabby Teran’s first two home runs of the season lifted Syracuse past the Eagles. Three of SU’s four hits left the park.

Though the Eagles scored first — on a first inning Emme Martinez single — Syracuse piled on runs in the second and third frames with heads-up baserunning. In the second inning, Alex Acevedo stole her first base of the season after reaching on a lined single to right field. Acevedo then advanced to third on a ground out before scoring on a Boston College throwing error.

Teran led off the next inning by pulling her first home run of the game — and the season — over the left field fence. Teran finished the game 2-of-3 with a walk, three RBIs and a stolen base.

Later in the third inning, SU took advantage of another BC fielding mistake. Bryce Holmgren walked, then took two more bases on an error. After a pitching change, Holmgren scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-1. The Eagles finished with three errors on the day.

Martin’s fifth inning homer and Teran’s second home run of the game gave SU the 7-1 lead. Martin scored in the seventh inning on an Anya Gonzalez sacrifice fly to make it 8-1.

After allowing four earned runs to BC on Friday, Alexa Romero silenced the Eagles’ bats and earned her sixth win. Romero surrendered three earned runs in her eighth complete game of the season.

Published on March 24, 2019 at 2:30 pm

Contact Danny: dremerma@syr.edu | @DannyEmerman