University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Syracuse
Tar Heels Outlast Syracuse, 2-1, In Pitchers' Duel
March 13, 2016 | Softball
CHAPEL HILL – Carolina junior Kendra Lynch limited Syracuse to just two hits for the second straight game as the Tar Heels defeated the Orange, 2-1, to claim the first ACC series of the season. The win lifts UNC to 12-11 (2-1 ACC), while Syracuse falls to 9-11 (1-2 ACC).
“I told Kendra I was really proud of her,” said head coach Donna J. Papa. “She's legit. She's a legit pitcher at this level. She showed me a lot this weekend. It's not easy to be—she's not the only pitcher—but Kendra toughed it out this weekend. Especially to face Syracuse three times, to be able to have the command that she did, she got a lot of ground outs and a lot of pop ups.
“Unfortunately (she gave up a home run) in the seventh inning—you can't have to be perfect. Our offense hasn't done its job, and that's the issue that we have to fix. We're not firing on all cylinders. We had enough opportunities to give us a little cushion, so that wouldn't have been a big deal if that happened. Our offense really, really needs to pick up.”
Lynch (10-8) captured her 10th victory of the season, allowing just one run on two hits and a walk with two strikeouts, including a stretch of 14 straight batters retired.
“Kendra pitched a great game,” said senior Kristen Brown. “After Syracuse saw her three games in a row, she still held them down. She's been doing great all season.”
Taylor Wike led UNC at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Aquilla Mateen went 2-for-2 with a walk and a run scored. Brown was 1-for-2 with two walks to increase her streak to 26 straight games reaching base safely. Berlynne Delamora got on board twice with a single and a walk, and Darby Rosen drove in the game-winning run with a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh.
AnnaMarie Gatti tossed the first four innings for Syracuse, allowing one run on five hits. Sydney O'Hara (1-1) tossed the next 2.1 innings and allowed just one hit but four walks and was responsible for the game-winning run. Jocelyn Cater pitched to the final three batters of the game but recorded just one out and walked two batters, allowing an inherited runner to score to end the game.
“We ended up winning the series, but we didn't really show our best hitting this weekend,” said Brown. “When we're all on, we're a force to be reckoned with.”
Carolina had a single in each of the first three innings, but did not string two together until the fourth. Delamora got on base with a single up the middle, then Lauren Fuller moved pinch runner Kiana Sherlund to second with a ground out. Wike then came through with a two-out RBI single to left center to give UNC a 1-0 lead.
After retiring 14 straight batters through the first five innings, Lynch allowed a leadoff walk to Olivia Martinez to start the sixth. However, the Tar Heel hurler kept 'Cuse without a hit as pinch runner Aliyah Wade was stranded on third, preserving Carolina's 1-0 advantage.
Corinne Ozanne tied the game with one swing in the top of the seventh, drilling a leadoff home run to left for just the second Syracuse hit of the game. Lynch then set the next three batters down in order to give Carolina a chance to win it in the bottom of the seventh.
“I was a little disappointed in myself, but ultimately I knew I couldn't let it get bigger than it was,” said Lynch. “I knew my job was to shut down the next three hitters, which is ultimately what happened, but I just knew I couldn't let the inning expand and have a repeat of yesterday.”
Carolina was patient at the plate in the bottom of the seventh, as Mateen and Brown each walked, then 'Cuse intentionally walked Tracy Chandless to load the bases. Rosen then stepped in for her first plate appearance of the game, and watched four pitches go by, taking the free pass to first and sending Mateen home for the game-winning run.
“I'll tell you what, said Papa. “Our goal today, we call it 'Championship Sunday,' and our goal was to win the series. We easily could have won three if we didn't have that one meltdown inning in the first game, but I'm happy coming out of here with two wins out of three.”
“I am (feeling confident),” said Lynch. “I think when we get our hitting back to where it can be, we will be a big threat in the ACC.”
