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Kelly Breen trotted out to second base to start the top of the eighth inning as the “ghost runner.” After Lindsey Hendrix retired Sierra Fretz to end the seventh inning, the second game of the doubleheader between Syracuse and UAlbany headed to extra innings.

Syracuse cleanup hitter Angel Jasso stepped into the batter’s box and hit a ground ball that snuck past the infield and into right field. Jasso attempted to leg out a double but was thrown out at second base. However, Breen scored, giving Syracuse a 5-4 lead.

The Orange could not put additional runs on the board, but it didn’t matter, as Hendrix worked a relatively clean bottom half of the inning winning Syracuse the game.

Backed by its late rally in the second game, Syracuse (13-19-1, 3-10-1 Atlantic Coast) split its doubleheader against UAlbany (13-13, 4-3 America East). In the first game, Syracuse lost 5-0, only managing five hits. UAlbany took a quick 1-0 lead in the second inning, and never looked back. Trailing 4-1 entering the sixth inning of the second game, the Orange bats finally arrived, leading to a comeback win.

At first, Syracuse and UAlbany were locked into a pitcher’s duel. Hendrix and Kate Powers each held the opposing offenses scoreless after three innings, but that changed in the fourth.

After Tessa Galipeau worked a leadoff walk in the top of the fourth inning, Ryan Gallegos entered as a pinch runner. The ensuing batter, Breen, lined out, bringing up Jasso.

Jasso, whose 31 total bases were the second most on the team entering today’s doubleheader, tacked on two more. Jasso ripped Powers’ delivery into left center field, and Gallegos raced out around the bases to score the game’s first run.

The Orange were unable to add anything else offensively, which quickly backfired an inning later.

Leading of the bottom of the fifth inning, Deanna Grahek doubled down the left field line, and quickly scored on Chloe Lewis’ RBI single, tying the game up. Schuyler Ossman proceeded to bunt Christie Collins, who pinch ran for Lewis, over to second base with one out.

This brought Caitlyn Frederick to the plate, who put the ball in play, but the second baseman, Breen, was unable to make the play allowing Collins to score the go-ahead run.

After Breen’s blunder, UAlbany tacked on two more runs, taking a 4-1 lead.

The Orange instantly fought back. Leading off the top of the sixth inning, Jasso drew a catcher’s interference and immediately stole second base. The ensuing batter, Laila Alves, roped a triple into center field to cut Albany’s lead to 4-2.

Two batters later, Geana Torres sent a deep drive over the center field wall tying the game up. The Orange’s rally wasn’t able to come full circle, but it did make it a brand new game.

Both teams were held scoreless through the seventh inning, sending the game to extra innings. After its first extra innings game got called off due to weather, Syracuse won its first extra innings game of the season thanks to Jasso’s clutch hit and Hendrix’s domination in the hill.

Published on April 12, 2023 at 9:09 pm

Contact Justin: justingirshon@gmail.com | @JustinGirshon