Orangewomen Host Hofstra in Non-Conference Contest
4/14/2003 8:29:07 PM | Softball
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Syracuse softball team will step out of conference, taking on the Hofstra Pride on Tuesday, April 15. The first game of the doubleheader will begin at 3 p.m. Syracuse is 10-18 overall and 4-6 in the BIG EAST, while Hofstra is 21-12 overall and 5-1 in the Colonial Athletic Association.
ROSE KEEPS STEAL STRING ALIVE
Sophomore outfielder Tanya Rose stole two bases versus St. John's to improve to 9-for-9 in steal attempts this season. Rose has not been thrown out trying to steal in 17 straight attempts dating back to last season. For her career, she is 22-for-24. Rose has done an excellent job putting herself on base, hitting .270 for the season, third-best on the team. Since moving to the top of the lineup versus Florida Atlantic, Rose is hitting .361 with four home runs, 11 runs batted in and 10 runs scored in 13 games. Rose, last season’s BIG EAST Rookie of the Year, has been particularly harsh on conference pitchers, hitting .382 with three homers and seven RBI. For the season, Rose is third on the team in batting (.270) second in home runs (5), first in runs scored (15) and second in RBI (14).
"CLUTCH" CASSIE
Freshman Cassie Morales came through in two key situations for the Orangewomen against St. John's. With two outs and the winning run on second in the bottom of the seventh in game one, Morales delivered her first career pinch hit with a run-scoring double to win the game. It was the Orangewomen's first hit off the bench this season. Morales was the starting designated player in the second game and drove in a run in the bottom of the fifth with an infield single to put SU up 4-3. Morales is hitting an even .200 for the season (13-for-65). She is tied for the team lead with six doubles. More than half of her hits have gone for extra bases (7-of-13).
COLLINS PRODUCTIVE FROM THE NINE SPOT
Senior Kristen Collins has recorded an RBI in three consecutive games. Collins had two runs batted in versus St. John's, scoring SU's first run of the day on her first triple of the season. She then executed a squeeze bunt in the nightcap for her sixth run batted in of the season. Collins is hitting .238 (15-for-63) with a team-leading 10 sacrifices. She has also stolen two bases in two attempts.
MIRO STARTING TO TURN IT ON
Freshman third baseman Christina Miro is beginning to look more comfortable at the plate with each passing game. In four games last week, Miro hit .400 (4-for-10) with a run scored and an RBI. She plated the Orangewomen's only run of the game in their game-two loss to Seton Hall with her first career double. In eight games this season, Miro is hitting .263 (5-for-19) despite a 1-for-9 start to the season.
SWITENKO EARNS WEEKLY HONORS
Freshman shorstop Alexis Switenko was named BIG EAST Co-Player of the Week and ECAC Division I Player of the Week for her three-home run, eight-RBI performance at Providence. Switenko is the first SU freshman to win the conference weekly award and the first Orangewoman to be honored by the ECAC since Tara DiMaggio was the organization's pitcher of the week in 2000.
ORANGEWOMEN POWER SURGE
Despite not hitting a home run last week, Syracuse remains on pace to shatter the team record for homers in a season. The Orangewomen have hit 20 home runs through the first 28 games. It is the second straight season that Syracuse has hit at least 20 homers after combining for only 10 long balls in their first two seasons (7 in 2000, 3 in 2001). Last season’s team holds the school record with 25 home runs. In 2002, Cheryl Julicher set the single-season record with nine home runs. This season freshman Alexis Switenko is the team leader with seven long balls.
