Syracuse (12-11, 1-2 Atlantic Coast) needed nine innings to defeat Charleston Southern (12-14), 3-1, on Wednesday as the Orange rose back above .500.

Syracuse scored two unearned runs in the 9th inning. The first run came on a Buccaneer error after a Corinne Ozanne single. The second run came on a Hannah Dossett groundout to the pitcher.

In the second inning, Sydney O’Hara led off with a single and was moved to third after a sacrifice bunt and wild pitch. But Syracuse was unable to bat her in as the next two batters flew out to end the inning.

Jocelyn Cater, who started the game and had six strikeouts on the day, struck out the all three batters that she faced in the fourth inning.

After the first two batters were retired in the sixth inning, Syracuse finally got on the board. Sammy Fernandez started things off with a base hit up the middle. Then Fernandez stole second and Maddi Doane singled Fernandez home putting Syracuse on top 1-0.

But the Buccaneers responded in the bottom half of the inning. Cater’s only big mistake of the day came when she allowed a Charleston home run to tie the game.

AnnaMarie Gatti replaced Cater, getting the last out of the sixth inning before being replaced by O’Hara, who pitched three scoreless innings. Her last scoreless inning preserved the two-run lead the Orange gained in the top of the ninth inning.

O’Hara got her second win of the season as the Orange won its third in a row. SU will finish its road trip in Tallahassee, Florida as Syracuse takes on No. 11 Florida State on Saturday and Sunday.

Published on March 16, 2016 at 11:27 pm

Contact Jack: jfupton@syr.edu