Orange Tops App State, Drops Battle to No. 9 Georgia on Georgia Classic Day Three

Sunday, February 23

Athens, Ga.

10:30 AM

Syracuse University

12-1

App State

3-11

App State

Syracuse

Orange Tops App State, Drops Battle to No. 9 Georgia on Georgia Classic Day Three

2/23/2025 3:28:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

ATHENS, Ga. - The Syracuse softball team (12-2) split a pair of games against App State (3-11) and No. 9 Georgia (13-0) on the final day of the Georgia Classic in Athens. The Orange took down the Mountaineers, 6-3, before dropping a tight battle to the ranked Bulldogs, 3-1.

After losing their first game of the season yesterday to Georgia, the Orange got back in the win column against App State with the 6-3 victory. Madison Knight and Madelyn Lopez powered the 'Cuse offense with two runs batted in each, with Knight hitting her first home run of the season. Lopez's pair of RBIs came on a two-run double. In the circle, Syracuse used a trio of pitchers against the Mountaineers, starting Sydney Jackson and then bringing in Jackie Pengel, who earned the win, and Julianna Verni, who got the save.

Syracuse put up a good fight against Georgia in game two but dropped a 3-1 decision. Kelly Breen provided the lone run for the Orange with an RBI fielder's choice to score Sofia Taliaferro. Knight got the start in the circle, holding Georgia to three runs, tied for the Bulldogs' lowest score in a game this season.

HOW IT HAPPENED AGAINST APP STATE:
The Mountaineers got on the board first with a one-run double in the top of the first inning, but Syracuse quickly equalized with a one-run single from Angie Ramos to bring home Lopez.

Lopez then put the Orange ahead 3-1 with a two-RBI double in the bottom of the second, scoring Taylor Davison and Lauren Fox, who had both recorded the first hits of their seasons.

App State leveled the contest at three with a two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning, but Knight responded with a two-run blast of her own an inning later to put her team back in front. Kayla Sigala then tacked on a run to the Orange lead with her first career hit, a one-run single.

Pengel, who came on to pitch the fifth inning, earned the win and collected three strikeouts in her one inning of work. Verni earned the save, tossing the sixth and seventh innings and holding the Orange's lead. In her two frames on the mound, she did not allow a hit and added one strikeout.

HOW IT HAPPENED AGAINST GEORGIA:
The Bulldogs were the first team on the board with one run in each of the first two innings. Kelly Breen cut the Georgia lead in half, though, in the top of the third inning, scoring Tessa Galipeau who had got on base with a single.

The Bulldogs posed threats in each of the three following innings, but strong defense from the Orange kept them in the game with just the one-run deficit. However, in the bottom of the sixth inning a solo home run for UGA game the home team an insurance run. Syracuse looked to come back in the top of the seventh inning, but could not put a rally together, falling 3-1 despite putting up a good fight.

OF NOTE:

Batting in the leadoff spot in both contests, Lopez collected three hits with two runs batted in.
Knight provided a huge go-ahead two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning against App State, her 11^th career blast. The junior then got the start on the mound in game two, pitching six innings and recording five strikeouts.
Ramos had a strong weekend in Athens, collecting two hits and one batted in across the final day of the tournament.
After throwing out a runner stealing second against Georgia, Morales-Alves moved into a tie with Katie Kaempfer (2002-05) for third-most runners caught stealing in program history with 30. She needs three more to tie Jaime Grillo (2001, 03-05) for the program record of 33.
Lauren Fox got the start at second base in both games, collecting her first collegiate hit against App State with a single to left field.
Taylor Davison earned a start behind the plate against App State, collecting a personal-best two hits at the plate.
Sigala came in to pinch hit in the win over App State, knocking a one-run single for her first career hit.
Sydney Jackson made her second start of the weekend and the third of her collegiate career against App State, pitching four innings and recording three strikeouts. Jackie Pengel followed with one inning of relief to earn her second win of the season, while Julianna Verni closed out the victory with two innings pitched, securing her fifth career save. The save moves Verni into a tie for fifth-most in program history. Assistant coach Sydney O'Hara holds the program record with 12 career saves (2014-17).
Knight and the Syracuse defense held Georgia to a tied for its fewest runs this season at just two in the loss.
With their win over App State, the Orange have tied the lifetime series against at two wins apiece.
'Cuse falls to 0-6 in the all-time series against Georgia.
After the five games in Athens, Syracuse sits at a record of 12-2 with its last regular-season tournament on deck.

UP NEXT:
The Orange will play their final tournament next weekend at the Blue Hen Invitational, hosted by Delaware from Feb. 27-March 1. 'Cuse will then enter ACC play with a three-game series at Stanford from March 7-9.

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