TEMPE, Ariz. – The Syracuse University softball team (43-16) was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament by No. 2 Arizona State (49-8) on Sunday evening in the Championship game of the Tempe Regional by the score of 4-0.
Syracuse achieved its second most wins in program history with 43 and advanced deeper into the NCAA Tournament than ever before. Its win earlier today against the Sun Devils was the highest nationally-ranked opponent the Orange has ever defeated.
The Sun Devils scored three runs on three hits in the bottom of the first inning and was aided by two Syracuse fielding errors. The Orange would settle down and record 1-2-3 innings in the second and the third.
Syracuse loaded the bases after Jasmine Watson and Carey-Leigh Thomas walked and Shirley Daniels singled in the fourth inning with one out. SU, though, was unable to score as Dallas Escobedo got Julie Wambold and Ashley Dimon to strikeout which ended the inning.
Arizona State then tacked on a fourth run in the bottom of the frame with a solo shot to left by Haley Steele. The ASU third baseman connected on a full-count pitch for her 10th home run of the campaign.
Syracuse once against applied pressure in the fifth inning but stranded another two runners. The Orange ultimately left nine runners on base in the contest.
Courtesy: SU Athletics
Here's SU's release on the first game, which the Orange won 1-0:
The No. 25 Syracuse University softball team (43-15) defeated No. 2 Arizona State, 1-0, on Sunday afternoon to force a winner-take-all Tempe Regional Championship Game. First pitch is at 9:00 p.m. EST tonight.
The win against the Sun Devils is the highest nationally-ranked opponent Syracuse has defeated in its program history. Stephanie Watts provided the game’s only run with a solo homer in the first inning, while Jenna Caira (27-8) pitched a complete game shutout and scattered just four hits on the afternoon.
As Syracuse has done in every game of the Regional, the Orange scored the first run of the game. Watts gave SU, the designated home team, a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning with her 10th round-tripper of the season. The First-Team All-BIG EAST performer took ASU starter Dallas Escobedo to straight away center field.
ASU would have runners in scoring position during innings four through six, but numerous great plays by the infield and timely strikeouts by Caira squashed any Sun Devil threat. Caira finished the game with five strikeouts.
Syracuse will now have the opportunity to advance to its first ever Super Regional with one more victory. The winner of tonight’s game will play Louisiana-Lafayette next weekend.
