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Syracuse was down five with two runners in scoring position and just one out when Louisville’s Carmyn Greenwood got her turn at the plate.

Ariana Adams was approaching her 80th pitch of the evening with the count at 1-2. Greenwood gave the next pitch a ride over the center field fence for a four-run homer, giving Louisville an 8-0 lead and putting Syracuse in danger of getting bounced early.

And after just 4.5 innings, the Cardinals (22-17, 6-7 Atlantic Coast) had made short work of SU (20-16, 3-11 ACC), winning 8-0. It’s the third time this season the Orange have been shut out, and the second time it’s happened at the hands of a conference opponent. SU is now 1-11 on the road in ACC play.

Cardinals pitcher Taylor Roby started the game by putting out three Syracuse batters in a row. When Louisville got on offense, freshman Korbe Otis hit a line drive that landed just inside the left field line and skipped away from Carli Campbell for a double. Right after tossing a 1-2-3 inning, Roby put the Cardinals on the board with a dinger to left center that landed in the parking lot. Adams kept her composure and got the next two batters out to wrap up the inning, though.

Adams kept Louisville in check in the second and third innings, allowing just one hit over seven batters faced. The Orange recorded their only two hits of the game in the second and third innings but couldn’t capitalize and bat any runners in.

Roby dismissed three straight Syracuse batters again in the fourth, just in time for the Cardinals’ bats to heat up even more. Catcher Kendall Smith dropped a 3-1 pitch in front of Campbell in left field and picked up a single. Then, Louisville head coach Holly Aprile put in Mia Forsythe to run for her, and she stole second.

UL right fielder Vanessa Miller hit a grounder to second that Yamila Evans tracked down, but she badly missed the throw, allowing Forsythe to score. A walk and a bunt loaded up the bases with just one out in the inning.

Louisville’s Jenna Servi hit a violent ground ball that sneaked between Evans and Tessa Galipeau in the right side of the infield, and two more runs scored to make it 5-0. Servi stole second, putting two runners in scoring position. Then, Greenwood hit the bomb to center field for a three-run shot that extended the lead to eight, leading to head coach Shannon Doepking pulling Adams for Kaia Oliver.

Oliver quickly took care of the next few batters, and Syracuse had to score one run to avoid the mercy rule and an abrupt loss. Roby finished her complete game by putting away three SU batters in just four pitches.

The Orange resume their series against the Cardinals with a 1 p.m. date on Saturday followed by a noon game on Sunday.

Published on April 15, 2022 at 9:07 pm

Contact Matthew: mahassan@syr.edu