With two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning, Alexa Romero jogged from the dugout to the circle hours after dealing a complete-game, 10-strikeout win.

“‘OK, we got this,’” Sophie Dandola, Syracuse’s starting pitcher for the game, thought from the bench.

On four pitches, all fast balls, Romero stranded the three Purple Eagles on base and earned her first save of the season with a punch out. In the first game of the doubleheader, Romero became the third pitcher in SU history to eclipse 500 strikeouts.

Romero’s 504th career strikeout secured the two-game sweep in Syracuse’s home-opener. Behind Romero’s complete game, the Orange (12-18, 2-4 Atlantic Coast) rolled in the first game, 12-4, and they needed her arm in relief to beat Niagara (1-14) in the night-capper, 7-5.

“Lex (Romero) showed us exactly what Lex can do,” head coach Shannon Doepking said. “I think it’s one thing that we talked about all season: If we’re going to lose, we’re going to lose with Lex on the mound.”

After the first game, she told her ace that she might be needed if a pressure situation arrived. To stay loose, Romero played catch in the bullpen in the top of the sixth inning, when Syracuse held a 7-5 lead.

“I just made sure that I’m ready and warm, so if there’s a situation that comes up, they’re going to put me in, and I’m going to be ready,” Romero said.

Syracuse scored once in the first and two runs in each of the next three innings. Sophomore Lailoni Mayfield, who had five hits in the two games, went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk. Shortstop Anya Gonzalez also produced at the plate with quality at-bats, drawing two walks which lead to two runs.

With a two-run lead and the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth, Gabby Teran blasted a single through the hole between third base and shortstop. Mayfield and catcher Gianna Carideo scored standing up to extend SU’s lead to 7-3.

“In those situations,” said Teran, the sophomore second baseman, “I just try to relax and be patient.”

Syracuse’s four-run lead didn’t last long. In the next inning, Dandola lost control of her drop-ball and walked the first two batters of the inning. Two Niagara singles made it 7-4 and knocked Dandola out of the game. In relief, Miranda Hearn walked another runner in, but escaped with the 7-5 lead.

Hearn pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning before struggling in the seventh, forcing Doepking to put the ball in Romero’s left hand. All season, Syracuse has leaned on Romero to pitch heavy innings and in high-stress situations.

To beat Niagara on Wednesday night, Romero fanned the 504th batter of her career, and the first person she fist-pumped on her way back to the dugout was Doepking.

“I think striking people out is my favorite thing,” Romero said.

Published on March 27, 2019 at 11:04 pm

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