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Syracuse (18-16, 11-13 Atlantic Coast) earned its third shutout win on Sunday by narrowly beating Virginia (15-29, 10-23) 1-0. The victory came after the Orange conceded their fourth shutout loss of the season on Saturday afternoon.

Alexa Romero won her second game of the series after pitching her second consecutive complete game. Romero allowed only one hit on Sunday, just short of the fourth no-hitter and second perfect game of her career. Her last no-hitter was against Virginia in 2018, where she pitched five innings, struck out nine batters and walked just two. Sunday marked Romero’s sixth complete-game win of the season.

An RBI double from Lailoni Mayfield solidified the win over the Cavaliers, keeping the Orange at two games over .500 and in seventh place in the conference.

Mayfield doubled to the right-center field wall in the second inning, which brought Toni Martin home. Martin initially reached first on a walk and immediately stole second for her 10th stolen base of the season, a team-high. The RBI was Mayfield’s 10th, too, and it was just her fourth extra-base hit.

Syracuse tried to extend its lead in the sixth inning, when Virginia’s Clare Zureich entered the game on the Cavaliers’ second pitching change of the afternoon. After giving up a leadoff single on a Calista Almer bunt, Almer advanced to second on an Angel Jasso sacrifice bunt and to third on a passed ball.

With one out, Zureich walked Neli Casares-Maher, who advanced to second on a wild pitch. With runners on second and third, Zureich retired the rest of the Orange batters, striking out Gabby Teran and Martin in consecutive at bats.

Syracuse recorded just two hits, which it has done in four other games this season — this one marked SU’s second win when it only got two hits. The Orange defeated UMass by the same scoreline on April 2, a game in which Romero threw 13 strikeouts.

Syracuse will return home for the first of its final two home series against No. 15 Virginia Tech and No. 16 Clemson. The Hokies sit in fourth place in the ACC.

Published on April 25, 2021 at 4:13 pm

Contact Alex: ahcirino@syr.edu