Virginia Drops Friday Twin Bill With Syracuse

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Early deficits proved costly for the Cavaliers in both games of a doubleheader Friday (April 23) as Virginia (14-28, 9-22 ACC) fell to Syracuse (17-15, 10-12 ACC) by scores of 4-1 and 7-4 at Palmer Park.

The Cavaliers surrendered big innings in both games and couldn’t overtake Syracuse in either instance. A four-run third inning lifted the Orange to the game one win, while miscues helped Syracuse take a three-run lead through the first two innings in game two.

Virginia would cut the lead to one run in the nightcap, but couldn’t push past the Orange despite rallies by the home team in the third, fifth and sixth innings.

GAME ONE: Syracuse 4, Virginia 1

Aly Rayle (3-6) took the loss in the opener, allowing four runs on six hits with. Rayle (Herndon, Va.) did not walk a batter or record a strikeout in 2.2 innings of work.

Alexa Romero (7-5) picked up the win for the Orange as she allowed the one run on four hits with four walks and seven strikeouts in the complete game.

Syracuse struck first, pushing home four runs with a two-out rally in the third inning.

Virginia answered with a run in the fourth when Rachel Keshin (New Canaan, Conn.) delivered an RBI groundout with the bases loaded to score Katie Goldberg (Atlanta, Ga.).

The pitching and defense would settle in down the stretch as neither team would score again in the game.

GAME TWO: Syracuse 7, Virginia 4

Mikayla Houge (4-9) took the loss in game two, allowing four runs – only one earned – on four hits. Houge (Collins, Iowa) struck out three and did not walk a batter in her 4.0 innings of work.

Lindsey Hendrix (3-2) picked up the win for Syracuse as she allowed four runs on six hits with three walks and one strikeout in 6.0 innings of work. Kaia Oliver picked up her third save of the year as she closed out the seventh.

Syracuse scored first in the second game of the day, taking advantage of Virginia miscues to push two runs home in the inning. The Orange would then add a third run in the second to take the lead out to 3-0.

Virginia got on the board in the third when Bailey Winscott (Clinton, Miss.) scampered home on a wild pitch.

Syracuse would plate two more runs in the fifth, taking the lead out to 5-1 on the Cavaliers. Virginia would answer with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning off an RBI triple from Winscott and an infield single from Arizona Ritchie (Stafford, Va.).

An RBI triple from Leah Boggs (Mansfield, Ohio) in the sixth inning cut the Syracuse lead to one run at 5-4.

The Orange would push back out to three runs with a two-run home run in the seventh and hold on for the victory.

NOTES ON THE DAY
• Bailey Winscott’s two runs scored in game two tied her career high.
• Leah Boggs’ RBI triple in the sixth inning of game two was her first career triple.

FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN
“Every game brings opportunities to learn and keep growing. I believe our team is capable of playing better than we did tonight, but now we have a choice: to grow and get better or not. The game doesn’t know who will win or lose tomorrow. I believe in this team and I am excited to get on the field again tomorrow to compete with them.”

NEXT UP FOR THE HOOS
Virginia and Syracuse will continue the series on Saturday (April 24) when the teams meet at 12 p.m. The game, which was originally schedule for a 3 p.m. start, was moved up to a noon first pitch due to inclement weather in the forecast.