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The Syracuse Orange softball team’s hot start continued this weekend at the FAU Tournament in Boca Raton, Fla.
SU went 3-1 on the weekend -- two games each on Friday and Saturday -- including two shutouts to bookend the trip south.
Syracuse led off Friday’s festivities with a 3-0 win over St. John’s. Shortstop Sammy Fernandez went 3-for-4 on the game with one run scored. Alicia Hansen and Faith Cain also added runs batted in. Starting pitcher Alexa Romero struck out five batters in four innings, while allowing just two hits.
In game two on Friday, the Orange scored in each of the first five innings, en route to a 7-1 demolition of Savannah State. Third basemen Bryce Holmgren went 3-for-3 with three RBIs, while Fernandez and Hansen scored two runs apiece. Junior AnnaMarie Gatti pitched a complete game, striking out eight and allowing just six hits. Her one run allowed was on an error in the seventh.
Saturday started with a close 3-2 loss to Tulsa. Holmgren continued her strong hitting, going 4-for-4 with a home run (her first of the year) against the Golden Hurricane. However, Baylee Douglas allowed five hits and two runs in 2.1 innings, which tagged her with the loss. Gatti pitched one-hit, one-run ball to close out the rest of the game.
The afternoon wrapped up with a 5-0 shutout of Toledo, which SU owned from the first inning. Romero and Syndey O’Hara combined to allow just seven hits and one walk in seven innings. O’Hara added seven strikeouts, going the final four innings. Fernandez, O’Hara and Hannah Dossett all collected RBIs in the contest.
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Three wins in four games gets the Orange to 6-3 on the season, with just one loss (a 14-2 defeat at Georgia) being decided by more than a run. SU’s also shut out three opponents this year, which could bode well for their chances going forward.
Next up is a matchup with the No. 1 team in the nation, the Florida Gators, as part of the Citrus Classic in Orlando. Syracuse will play six games from Friday through Sunday next weekend, including one against the Czech Republic National Team on Saturday.