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Syracuse wasn’t able to tack on any runs after the third, but an eight-run lead meant the team could run-rule NC State if Madison Knight held the Wolfpack scoreless for two more innings. That’s exactly what she did.

In the fourth inning, Knight pitched one of her most impressive innings all season, forcing a weak pop-up to shortstop, a strikeout swinging and a strikeout looking. In the fifth inning, Knight walked the leadoff batter, but as she did in the second and third innings, she retired the next three batters she faced in order to secure Syracuse an 8-0 win and her first collegiate no hitter.

“I couldn’t have done it without the team behind me,” Knight said.

Backed by an offensive outburst led by Madelyn Lopez and the no-hitter from Knight, Syracuse (12-18-1, 3-10-1 Atlantic Coast) run-ruled NC State (14-26, 5-10 ACC) after five innings in the 8-0 victory, its first ACC series win of the season. Lopez was a double shy of the cycle and Knight tossed the 11th no-hitter in Syracuse history.

After Knight retired the first three NC State hitters in the first inning, the Orange went station-to-station, loading the bases in the bottom half of the inning. Lopez swung at the first pitch from Madison Inscoe and blooped it into left field for a leadoff single. A one out fielder’s choice by Kelly Breen and a walk drawn by Knight with two outs loaded the bases.

In its first 30 games, Syracuse only scored twice in the first inning. On a 2-2 count, Jude Padilla made it three times. Inscoe tried firing a putaway pitch, but her delivery caught too much of the plate.

Padilla capitalized, smoking a line drive into left field. Lopez easily scored from third base, and Breen sprinted toward home plate from second. Katlyn Pavlick’s throw was off the mark, and Breen scored standing up to give the Orange an early 2-0 lead.

Knight attacked the Wolfpack hitters. Despite surrendering a leadoff walk to Pavlick in the second inning, Knight settled down, forcing NC State into two weak pop-flies and a strikeout.

After Lopez’s home run in the second inning, Inoscoe’s next delivery was her last, as Tessa Galipeau was hit by the pitch. The Wolfpack brought in Aisha Weixlmann, and Kelly Breen ambushed her first pitch, sending a deep drive to left center field for Syracuse’s second two-run homer of the inning.

“When (your offense) puts up two runs for you in the first inning, you’re like, ‘ok, I have a little bit of wiggle room, I can mess up here,’” Knight said. “But, then when we put up four (runs) in the second inning and you’re up by six, it’s everything that your team supports you.”

Despite hitting NC State’s Gracie Roberts to leadoff the third inning, Knight easily retired the Wolfpack’s next three hitters, setting up SU’s offense for a potential run-rule.

With one out, Rebecca Clyde skied a ball into left field. The ball landed near the warning track for a double after Pavlick had trouble reading the ball off the bat. The ensuing batter, Ryan Starr, bunted, moving Clyde to third base.

With two outs, Lopez stepped up to the plate for her third at-bat of the game. Weixlmann’s second delivery to Lopez was near the outside corner of the plate, but Lopez stayed with it and smacked an opposite-field line drive down the left field line. The ball kicked into the left field corner, allowing Lopez to slide into third base for her third run batted in of the day. Galipeau kept the rally alive, sending a single up the middle for the eighth run of the game.

Clyde worked a full count against Inscoe to lead off the bottom of the second inning. Then, Clyde took a pitch just inside and headed to first base. Inscoe was able to retire Starr on two pitches, but then the lineup flipped to Lopez at the top.

Lopez, who has been Syracuse’s best and most reliable hitter as of late, looked to add to SU’s early lead. Swinging at the first pitch, she barreled the ball and pulled a skyscraper into right field. Roberts made a leaping effort at the warning track, but it was hit just out of her reach for a home run, giving the Orange a 4-0 lead.

“Personally I have not wanted to get into deep counts, so I go for the first pitch,” Lopez said.

Published on April 8, 2023 at 4:30 pm

Contact Justin: justingirshon@gmail.com | @JustinGirshon