After splitting its first two games on Friday, Syracuse (1-3) lost both of its matchups on Saturday against No. 9 Oklahoma (2-2), 7-0, and UNLV (2-1), 6-1, as it concluded the first weekend of the regular season in the Sportco Kick Off Classic.

The Orange couldn’t keep up against the No. 9 team in the country as senior pitcher Jocelyn Cater gave up two home runs in her first two innings in SU’s first game. Oklahoma’s Erin Miller hit a two-run home run in the first inning, while Whitney Montgomery hit the game’s second two-run homer in the second inning.

OU’s Kady Self drove in two more runs in the third inning, while Caleigh Clifton scored in the fourth after hitting a triple to lead off the frame.

Sydney O’Hara replaced Cater following the fourth inning, throwing three scoreless innings to finish Syracuse’s first game on Saturday. SU had three hits and two errors in the team’s second loss of the season, while Oklahoma’s Kelsey Stevens pitched a complete game for the Sooners.

In Syracuse’s second matchup of the day, the Orange stayed competitive until a four-run fourth inning from the Rebels. UNLV’s Kwyn Cooper scored off an error in the second inning, while Janine Petmecky hit a home run in the third inning.

O’Hara scored SU’s first run of Saturday when Rachel Burkhardt was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, but the Orange left its remaining base runners stranded in the fourth inning. UNLV responded in the bottom of the inning, as Courtney Beavers, Madison Rogers, Jadelyn Yadao-Valdez and Myranda Bueno all scored in a three-hit frame for the Rebels, which also featured an error from Syraucse.

SU’s AnnaMarie Gatti gave up six runs and nine hits in six innings. UNLV’s Petmecky Morgan Ettinger and Alyssa Batastini combined to give up four hits and one run in the Rebels’ second win of the season.

The Orange return to the diamond next weekend for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, where SU will face Purdue and Ohio State twice each.

Published on February 13, 2016 at 11:43 pm

Contact Chris: cfthomse@syr.edu