‘Cuse Beats Le Moyne to Sweep Opening Weekend

Sunday, February 9

Wilmington, N.C.

10 AM

Syracuse University

5-0

Le Moyne

0-5

Syracuse

Le Moyne

2/9/2025 12:13:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

WILMINGTON, N.C. - Syracuse (4-0) defeated Le Moyne (0-4), 4-1, on Sunday to cap off a perfect 5-0 run at the UNCW Tournament in Wilmington, N.C., on opening weekend of the 2025 season.

The Orange win was backed by a career-complete game from Jackie Pengel, who was making her first pitching appearance for Syracuse since April 19, 2023 after missing last season with an injury. Pengel kept Le Moyne hitters in check, tossing a personal-best seven innings with seven strikeouts and allowing just one hit, all career highs. Offensively, Madelyn Lopez led 'Cuse with a 3-for-3 performance, including a double and one run batted in. Kelly Breen and Peyton Schemmer also contributed with RBIs for the Orange.

Overall, Syracuse finished the weekend with a perfect 5-0 record, marking its first perfect opening tournament since 2022, when the team started the season 6-0 across the first two events of the slate.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Syracuse took an early 1-0 lead when Lopez opened the game with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and was brought home on a sacrifice fly by Breen. An inning later, Lopez doubled the Orange's edge with an RBI single to bring home Gabby Lantier.

As Pengel, who got the start on the mound for the Orange, continued to shut out the Dolphins, not allowing a hit through four innings of work, Syracuse doubled its lead to 4-0 in the top of the fifth. After a walk by Kayla Sigala loaded the bases, Schemmer used an RBI single to extend the lead to three, before Syracuse tacked on a fourth run when Madison Knight scored on a passed ball.

Pengel's lone conceded hit of the day came in the bottom of the fifth when Le Moyne sent a solo home run out of the park, but that was all the offense the Dolphins would muster. Syracuse and Pengel shut down the opposition's hitters for the remainder of the game, earning a 4-1 win.

OF NOTE:

Pengel had a career day on the mound, going the full seven innings, recording seven strikeouts, and allowing just one hit. All of these were personal bests.
Lopez capped off a strong opening weekend by going 3-for-3 with an RBI and a double against the Dolphins. The junior finished the tournament batting .600 (9-for-15) with two doubles and three RBIs, recording four multi-hit games in five contests.
With her first-inning sacrifice fly, Breen notched her second run batted in of the weekend. The senior finished the five-game opening weekend with four hits, two runs batted in, and one run scored.
In her first weekend in a Syracuse uniform, Jadyn Burney made five starts at shortstop for the Orange, batting .417 (5-for-12) with four runs and four stolen bases.
Lantier led the Orange in average on the weekend, hitting .667 (6-for-9) in four games played.
Schemmer had a strong opening weekend at the plate, collecting four RBIs on four hits.
The five-player Orange pitching staff was strong in its 2025 debut, allowing just 15 hits and three runs across 35 innings of work. Each of 'Cuse's rostered pitchers appeared for at least two innings this weekend.
Syracuse finishes the UNCW Tournament with a perfect 5-0 record, sweeping its opening weekend tournament for the first time since the 2022 campaign. The Orange are one win away from matching their 6-0 start during that 2022 season. 'Cuse has never opened a season with a 7-0 start.
The Orange remain perfect against the Dolphins, earning wins in all six games between programs. The pair of Salt City schools will play another pair of games later this season at Le Moyne.

UP NEXT:
The Orange will head south for the first of two consecutive weekends in Georgia, competing in The Columbus Classic, hosted by Army at the South Commons Complex in Columbus from Feb. 14-16.

For complete coverage of Syracuse softball, follow us on Facebook (/cusesb), Twitter (@CuseSB) and Instagram (@cusesb).