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With runners on first and second and one out, NC State looked poised to tie the game at one. On a 3-2 count, Syracuse’s starter Madison Knight reared back and spun a curveball that fooled Libby Whittaker for strike three. Then, Kaylee Lambrecht took a called strike three on another 3-2 count to end the frame.

“You basically got to go pitch by pitch,” Knight said. “It was just a really good hitter, and you knew you had to throw your best stuff to get her out.”

Syracuse rallied behind Knight in SU’s (11-17-1, 2-9-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) 4-2 win over NC State (13-25, 4-9 ACC). Syracuse’s starting pitcher escaped multiple jams, tossing six innings of one-run ball with three hits and a career-high seven strikeouts. Syracuse earned its first home win this season, and has now won three straight games.

After a clean first inning, the Syracuse offense gave Knight an early 1-0 advantage in the bottom half. But the freshman pitcher found herself in trouble in the top of the second. MaKayla Marbury and Taylor Ensley both singled to put runners on the corners for Whittaker. Knight responded by striking out NC State’s designated player. Then, catcher Layla Alves threw Ensley out while attempting to steal second base, ending the inning.

Knight struck out Ellie Goins on a high fastball to open the third, then a running snag by left fielder Angie Ramos robbed the Wolfpack of extra bases for the second out. After a single and a walk, Knight blew another fastball by Katlyn Pavlick to escape the jam.

NC State had a scoring opportunity in the fourth. A walk and an error by SU put two runners on base for Whittaker. After a 10-pitch at-bat, featuring four straight foul balls, Knight got Whittaker swinging on a 3-2 curveball in the dirt. The starter was fired up after her fourth strikeout of the night, and followed by getting Lambrecht to take an inside fastball for a called third strike on another 3-2 count to end the inning.

“If you lose focus for one second, you’re gonna lose [the batter],” Knight said. “You can lose [the batter] in a big way. You can put a ball over the fence, or you can strike them out on a 3-2 count. You’ve gotta stay locked in the whole at-bat.”

SU’s bats struck again in the bottom of the fourth, adding another run to make it 2-0 Syracuse. Knight retired the first two Wolfpack hitters on five pitches to start the top of the fifth, but after two walks, she was back in a pickle. MaKayla Marbury stepped up and cracked a deep fly ball to right field, but Madelyn Lopez had just enough room on the warning track to make the catch.

Through five innings of play, NC State remained scoreless despite leaving at least one runner on base in every inning. The Wolfpack combined to go 1-for-9 with runners on base to that point, leaving eight runners stranded.

“She got herself into a lot of jams. Walks wise, we’re pretty high up there with our walks. But, she was just gritty with getting her out of the spots she got into,” head coach Shannon Doepking said to CitrusTV postgame.

Syracuse added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth, giving Knight a four-run cushion. The freshman exceeded the 100-pitch mark in the top of the sixth inning, but showed no signs of fatigue.

NC State’s leadoff hitter, Haley Haislip, struck out swinging on a fastball down the middle. Ensley couldn’t put the ball in play either, taking a called third strike on a cut fastball. Knight’s final strikeout, her seventh, marked the most of her young career.

Whittaker made the last out of the inning when she flew out to right field, capping off the starter’s first 1-2-3 inning. Through six frames, Knight had yet to give up a run. The freshman stayed in the circle to start the seventh, but a leadoff walk and rising pitch count made Doepking opt for a relief pitcher. After Lindsey Hendrix recorded the final out to secure an SU win, Knight earned her team-leading fifth victory of the season.

Limiting the Wolfpack to just three hits over six frames, the back-to-back Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year lowered her ERA to 4.09 in her first year with the Orange.

“We have really, really high expectations for that kid,” Doepking said. “She’s super talented. We haven’t really tapped into what she’s capable of doing. She’s gonna be a really special player for us.”

Published on April 6, 2023 at 10:59 pm