Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.

No. 17 Clemson didn’t need a hit to strike first against Syracuse in game one of a doubleheader on April 7. SU starting pitcher Britney Lewinski hit Tigers’ lead-off hitter Maddie Moore with her first pitch, foreshadowing a complete unraveling in the circle.

Lewinski proceeded to walk three Clemson hitters consecutively, bringing Moore home for the game’s first run. Jessie DiPasquale replaced Lewinski and forced the first out of the inning, but then walked in the Tigers’ second run. After Lindsey Garcia, Clemson’s seventh batter of the first inning, roped a two-RBI single into right field for its first hit of the contest, the Orange trailed 4-0.

“I think we just need to go one pitch, one out at a time,” Madison Knight said following Sunday’s doubleheader. “I think we rush ourselves too much and we get in our heads.”

In response to its first Atlantic Coast Conference series win of 2024 over Georgia Tech, Syracuse (16-17, 4-11 ACC) turned its focus to No. 17 Clemson (27-11, 11-4 ACC) from April 6-7. The Orange had not defeated a ranked team since 2022, and the Tigers were coming off of a loss to a lowly 18-21 Furman team.

The stage was set for Syracuse to grab a signature win and maintain an ACC Tournament spot. Yet, the Orange were swept, getting outscored 30-4 across the three games. One major problem plagued Syracuse’s chances of upsetting the Tigers: allowing a litany of free baserunners.

Facing high-level ACC pitchers like Valerie Cagle, Regan Spencer and Millie Thompson, SU needed to match Clemson with clean defense and timely pitching. It fell flat in both areas.

Across the three-game series, SU gave up 28 free baserunners — instances where the runner reached base from a walk, error, or a hit by pitch. It was the most free baserunners Syracuse granted over a three-game stretch since its series against Pittsburgh in April 2015, where it gave up 31. SU was also swept in that series.

Miranda Fournier | Design Editor

Thirteen free baserunners scored during Syracuse’s series against Clemson, an average of over four per game. In ACC play, 27 of SU’s 73 runs against come from free baserunners scoring.

There’s a connection in the ACC that links success to limiting miscues. No. 2 Duke, No. 18 Florida State, No. 17 Clemson and No. 13 Virginia Tech — the top four teams in the ACC — have the conference’s lowest free baserunner totals. Syracuse, Pitt and NC State — who sit at the bottom of the standings — have let the most runners reach base off walks, errors and hit by pitches.

Errors have hurt the Orange in ACC play this season. Syracuse is second to last in the ACC in fielding percentage in conference games (.949). SU has given up 73 runs versus ACC foes and a conference-worst 30 unearned runs. Notre Dame (20) is the next closest in that category.

Throughout their series versus SU, the Tigers plated 30 runs across three contests —16 were unearned. In game one of the series, Lindsey Hendrix gave up 13 runs. Only four were earned.

To start the second inning in a 1-1 game, Hendrix walked Clemson’s Alia Logoleo but answered by striking out Grace Hiller. Hendrix then forced a routine pop up to catcher Laila Morales-Alves, who mishandled the ball and let it fall into fair territory, putting two runners on.

On the next pitch, Arielle Oda hit a ground ball that shortstop Kelly Breen bobbled. Breen then threw the ball away, attempting to get Logoleo out at third. Logoleo scored, giving the Tigers a 2-1 lead.

After missing an opportunity to get two quick outs, SU suffered a lopsided second inning, where Clemson tacked on six unearned runs and entered the third with a 7-1 lead.

Success in softball doesn’t come with errors. Yet they’ve become a consistent issue for the Orange, who sit at 11th place in the ACC and barely cling onto a playoff spot. Syracuse has nine ACC games remaining, six of which are against top-25 opponents. If errors continue for SU, it will be in danger of missing the ACC Tournament.

“It’s a tough road ahead of us,” Knight said. “But I think if we can get better confidence-wise I think we’ll be a lot better.”

Published on April 8, 2024 at 11:55 pm

Contact Nick: nsjepson@syr.edu