Softball Hosts Syracuse in Home Opener

Games 20-21
Canisius (10-9) vs Syracuse (7-14)
Dates: Wednesday, March 22
Times: 2:00/4:30 p.m.
Location: Buffalo, N.Y. | Demske Sports Complex
Broadcast: ESPN+
Live Stats: Through gogriffs.com
Twitter: @GriffsSoftball | #Griffs | #MAACSoftball

• First Pitch
The Canisius softball team returns to Western New York where it will host Syracuse in the team's home opener Wednesday afternoon. First pitch of the first game is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Demske Sports Complex with both contests of the twinbill being broadcasted live on ESPN+.

• Last Time Out
The Golden Griffins became the first team in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference to reach 1,000 wins as a program with a 2-0 win over Cornell Saturday at the Penn State Invitational in University Park, Pa.

Junior Sydney Costan hit a two-run shot in the second inning while fellow third year Megan Giese tossed her second complete-game shutout of the campaign, striking out eight batters.

Sophomore Saige Alfaro also collected her third three-hit game of the season in the victory, giving her 19 multi-hit appearances in 68 career games as a Griff.

• Series Against the Orange
Canisius and Syracuse are set to meet for the 28th and 29th times in series history. The Orange lead the series 20-7.

Canisius is 5-10 all-time when hosting Syracuse, including the first ever meeting between the two teams, which took place on May 2, 2000. The Griffs won the opening game of a doubleheader, 2-0, at the Demske Sports Complex.

Last season, the two teams split the twinbill that was played at Skytop Softball Stadium on April 13 in Syracuse, N.Y.

In the opening game, Shealyn Ollison tossed her first career complete game to help lift Canisius to a 4-3 win over Syracuse, the team's first Power 5 program since 2014 when Canisius defeated Syracuse, 4-3, at the Demske Sports Complex on April 24.

• All Giese
As a result of her complete game shutout against the Big Red, Giese was named the conference's Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday.

In the circle, the righty struck out a season-high eight batters while allowing just two hits and three walks. Giese also went 1-3 at the dish in the win.

On the season, the Buffalo, N.Y., native has recorded six wins in 11 appearances, pitching to a 3.03 ERA while striking out 52 batters in 57.2 innings of work.

The eight strikeouts against the Big Red now gives Giese 309 for her career, which puts her 11th all-time in program history.

The righty has now been named the conference's Pitcher of the Week for the fifth time in her career after earning the award four times in 2022 en route to being unanimously named the conference's Pitcher of the Year.

• Up Next
Canisius heads to crosstown rival Buffalo on March 29 for a twinbill against the Bulls. First pitch from Nan Harvey Field is set for 2 p.m.

For complete coverage of Canisius softball, please follow @griffssoftball on Instagram and Twitter.

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Players Mentioned

#22 Shealyn Ollison: P; 5' 6"; Graduate Student; R/R

#15 Saige Alfaro: INF; 5' 6"; Sophomore; L/R

#4 Sydney Costan: INF; 5' 6"; Junior; R/R

#17 Megan Giese: P/INF; 5' 7"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#22 Shealyn Ollison
: 5' 6"; Graduate Student; R/R
: P

#15 Saige Alfaro
: 5' 6"; Sophomore; L/R
: INF

#4 Sydney Costan
: 5' 6"; Junior; R/R
: INF

#17 Megan Giese
: 5' 7"; Junior; R/R
: P/INF