Orange Offense Explodes on Rainy Day in Colorado

By Tom Russo

CitrusTV Softball Beat Reporter

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – While rain postponed the second game of today’s doubleheader and delayed the start of the first by three hours, the runs were also coming in at Ram Field.

Syracuse (6-11, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) exploded for its largest scoring total of the season in a 15-3 run-rule victory over Wagner (2-7, 0-0 Northeast).

It started almost as soon as the tarp came off the field when Neli Casares-Maher teed off for a two-run homer in the top of the first for her second long ball of the season.

The blasts kept coming in the second inning when Toni Martin put a three-run shot over the left field fence for her second home run of the season.  Martin finished the day 3-3 with two doubles along with the homer for three runs batted in and two runs scored.

In the third, Hannah Dossett picked up a two-run single to respond to three runs from the Seahawks, making it 7-3.

But the fourth was when the Orange really blew things open.  First Casares-Maher picked up her second double of the day, driving in two runs.  She finished 3-4 with the homer, two doubles, four RBIs, and three runs.

Dossett than knocked in two more with a double of her own.  She finished 2-4 for four RBIs.

Then, Alex Acevedo put the cap on the six-run fourth with her first career home run, a two-run to straightway center to make it 13-3.

But the offense still wasn’t done as Alicia Hansen’s bunt in the fifth unleashed chaos on the basepaths, allowing two more runs to score before Hansen was set down at third.

When the dust settled, the Orange had put up 15 runs, while Alexa Romero made the most of her homecoming.  The Colorado-native struck out nine Seahawks in the opening round of the Colorado State Classic.  Romero only yielded three hits and three runs in her five innings, and two of the three runs were unearned.

Syracuse picks things back up tomorrow with another game with Wagner at 1:15 p.m. before battling with the host team, Colorado State at 5:45 p.m.

twrusso@syr.edu | @TomRusso24