SU Wraps Up Conference Slate Versus Connecticut and Providence
4/27/2006 5:41:56 PM | Softball
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Orange (31-19) will wrap up its sixth BIG EAST season this weekend when it hosts Connecticut at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 28 and Providence at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 30 at the SU Softball Stadium. The Orange is 12-6 in the conference and has already secured a spot in the 2006 BIG EAST Championship. Live audio streams for both doubleheaders will be available on Orange All-Access.
Seniors Say Goodbye
Alexis Switenko will conclude her career as SU’s all-time leader in games played (196), games started (196), home runs (37), RBI (126), walks (73), total bases (325), slugging percentage (.565) and multi-RBI games (37). She is second on the BIG EAST career home run list (18) and ranks second at SU in hits (183), runs scored (110), extra-base hits (65), multi-hit games (49) and on-base percentage (.393).
Switenko has saved her best for last, hitting a career best .383 in 2006. She leads the BIG EAST and set the Orange single-season record with 14 homers this year and set another SU season record with 106 total bases. Switenko also leads the conference in slugging percentage (.752).
In addition to her hitting prowess, Switenko returned to the pitching circle this season and has posted a 12-3 record. She owns a 2.52 earned run average with 11 complete games and four shutouts. She has struck out 82 batters in 108 and one-third innings.
Cassie Morales will graduate as SU’s career leader in extra-base hits (75) and doubles (52). She ranks in the top three in several other career categories including games played, hits, home runs, RBI, total bases, slugging percentage and multi-RBI games.
Morales is second all-time in the BIG EAST in doubles (23) and tied the Orange single-season record for hits in 2004 (55), including an SU record 18 doubles.
This season Morales is batting .287 and ranks second on the team in doubles (12) She has hit a career-best eight homers. Earlier this year, she belted her first career triple and stole the first base of her career.
Orange Clinches Third BIG EAST Championship Berth
The Orange won its first-ever postseason contest in 2005, defeating Villanova, 5-1, in its second game of the championship.
Syracuse made its first tournament appearance in 2002.
Scouting Connecticut
The Huskies fell to 18-25 after losing twice to St. John’s on April 26. They are 5-11 in the BIG EAST and fighting for a spot in this year’s conference championship.
Allie Gendron leads the team in batting (.333) and is tied for the team lead in doubles (10). Danielle Del Ponte leads the club in RBI with 29. She is hitting .308. Jillian Ortega and Micah Truax also have more than 20 runs batted in on the year. Oretega has knocked in 27 runs and has four homers. Truax leads Connecticut with seven home runs and has 22 runs batted in.
Only one Huskies’ pitcher has a winning record in 2006. Ashley Thody is 2-0 in 11 appearances. Krista Micalczyk leads Connecticut with seven victories. She is 7-12 in 25 appearances. She has a 4.30 earned run average and is tied for the club lead in strikeouts (70).
Scouting Providence
The Friars rallied from three runs down to post a 5-3 decision against Boston College on April 26. Providence is 27-14-1 and 9-7 in conference play. It has won four straight games. The Friars one tie came against Fairfield in the second game of a doubleheader on April 13. The contest was called due to darkness. Providence has been an excellent road team posting a 19-11-1 record away from home in 2006, including a 13-4 mark in neutral site contests.
Reigning BIG EAST Player of the Week Rachel Bartholomew leads the team with a .367 batting average. She is second in the BIG EAST with 11 homers, including five last week on her way to winning the conference’s weekly honor. She has 38 runs batted in.
Elena Romero, Katie Ross and Sam Pittman are all hitting better than .330. Pittaman leads the Friars with 10 doubles and Ross is a perfect 4-for-4 in stolen bases.
Sara Surosky is the Friars top pitcher. She is 16-10 with a 2.30 earned run average. Surosky leads the Friars with 146 strikeouts in 155 and one-third innings. Jennifer Maccio is 9-4 in the circle and leads the team with a 2.19 earned run average.
The Friars will visit Pittsburgh for a doubleheader on April 28 before taking on the Orange on April 30.
The Series
Connecticut holds a 7-4 margin in the all-time series versus the Orange and the two clubs have split the last four meetings. The Huskies own the longest winning streak in the series, winning the first three encounters between the two teams.
The Orange has fared better against Providence, holding an 8-4 advantage in 12 meetings. SU has won six of the last seven in the series with its only loss in that stretch coming on April 16, 2004.
