Syracuse overcomes 4-0 deficit, rallies past UNC 7-5

Syracuse softball (21-11, 2-4 ACC) defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels (26-9, 6-4 ACC) 7-5 on Friday afternoon. The statement win came in the first of SU’s three-game series against UNC and snapped a three-game losing streak.

Starting SU pitcher Madison Knight forced a quick three-and-out early on, but UNC’s Kenna Dark followed suit with two strikeouts to keep the game scoreless.

The action picked up in the second inning, where a walk gave the Tar Heels a chance to strike first. With two outs, UNC’s Raeghan Carlson doubled to left field, bringing Carlie Myrtle around to score the game’s opening run. Syracuse looked to even the score in the bottom half after back-to-back sacrifice hits moved a runner to third, but with two already down, a third sac wouldn’t cut it.

A pair of singles from Grace Jackson and Lexie Roberts presented another opportunity for UNC to extend its lead. What followed was a three-run shot to straightaway center by infielder Kat Rodriguez. Hitting a team-high .461 this season, Rodriguez (2-for-4, 1 HR, 4 RBI) once again powered a red-hot Tar Heels offense.

The Orange fought back soon after, thanks to a triad of doubles from Tessa Galipeau, Gabby Lantier, and Angie Ramos. Down to one out in the inning, SU’s Taylor Posner singled to center field, bringing Ramos and Lantier home. The timely hit cut the Syracuse deficit to one, making it 4-3 after three innings.

The Orange kept the energy rolling in the top of the fourth, as third baseman Kelly Breen flashed the leather with a quick snag to deny UNC’s Jackson a base hit. With the score still 4-3, Syracuse loaded the bases to regain control. That set up a double from freshman pinch-hitter Kaimi Tulua, sending it to the wall and reeling in two runs. The momentum shift continued with singles from Ramos and Madison Lopez, resulting in two more runs and a 7-4 Orange lead.

Head coach Shannon Doepking praised Tulua’s potential after delivering the hit that sparked SU’s fourth-inning comeback. “When [Tulua] starts to tap into how good she can be, she’s going to be one of the best hitters this program has seen in a while,” Doepking said.

Another run from the in-form Kat Rodriguez wasn’t enough for the Tar Heels. Knight regained control after the lead change, recording three strikeouts to help Syracuse close out the win. Galipeau preserved the lead with a highlight play, beating UNC’s Sanaa Thompson to first with a diving putout. 

Doepking’s trust in Knight was evident, as the bullpen remained mostly empty after the early scoring flurry. After what may have been Syracuse’s biggest win of the season, that trust appeared to be well placed.

“There’s nobody I trust more than Madison Knight,” Doepking said. “I know that every day is getting us closer to where she knows she can be.”

With two games to go in their series against the Tar Heels, Syracuse will look to carry Friday’s momentum into the weekend games. First pitch tomorrow is at 1 p.m.