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Syracuse entered Saturday with an unblemished resume. It started a program-best 11-0 and hadn’t allowed more than two runs in a game. But its bout with No. 9 Georgia Saturday provided it with its first major test of the campaign.
However, the Orange’s historic start came to an end versus the Bulldogs. Syracuse (11-1, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) fell to No. 9 Georgia (12-0, 0-0 Southeastern) in an 8-2 defeat. SU’s pitching — which entered with the lowest earned run average in the country — struggled, as freshman Sydney Jackson and junior Julianna Verni surrendered four runs each, contributing to the defeat.
Despite the score, SU held UGA at bay for the first two innings. Jackson started in the circle for SU, striking out two UGA players in this stretch.
Syracuse then got on the board first. With two outs in the top of the first, Angie Ramos put SU up 1-0 on a groundout to first base, allowing Jadyn Burney to score for the Orange. Ramos was their only player to come through in the clutch Saturday, notching both RBIs on offense.
But UGA found its footing in the bottom of the third, and SU’s defense began to crumble. A single up the middle by UGA’s Dallis Goodnight and a dropped ball by Syracuse’s Peyton Schemmer allowed Esther White to score, tying the game 1-1.
Then, the floodgates opened. UGA scored again after Jaydyn Goodwin drove in Paislie Allen with a single to right field. Soon after, Georgia loaded the bases with a walk from Lyndi Rae Davis. Another single to left field from Sarah Gordon brought home Goodwin and Goodnight, extending Georgia’s lead to 4-1.
In response to UGA’s takeover, SU pulled Jackson and put in Verni. She induced a groundout to Burney at shortstop to end the inning. But ultimately, the change didn’t stop anything, as both recorded just three strikeouts in the contest.
Things started to look hopeful for the Orange in the top of the fifth. Ramos notched her second RBI of the game, grounding out to shortstop, which let Kelly Breen scamper home. But the Bulldogs quickly answered with an Emily Digby single up the middle, putting Georgia three runs ahead of the Orange yet again.
Georgia maintained its momentum from there, making quick work of SU in the sixth with two strikeouts and a flyout to center field. In the bottom of the sixth, UGA extended its lead further, bringing in three more runs. However, all three runs were unearned, as defensive issues by Syracuse allowed Georgia to extend the inning.
SU couldn’t catch up in the seventh, failing to get past second base and securing Georgia’s win 8-2.
An 11-game winning streak marked a program-best for the team, nearly double its former best start in 2022. But Syracuse simply couldn’t gain any traction and failed to catch up to Georgia, marking its first loss of the season.
The post Syracuse’s 11-0 start snapped in 8-2 loss to No. 9 Georgia appeared first on The Daily Orange.