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SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The SU softball team (19-14, 7-1) will begin the home portion of its 2006 schedule this weekend when it hosts a pair of BIG EAST doubleheaders at the SU Softball Stadium. The Orange will entertain Notre Dame on Saturday, April 8 and hook up with DePaul on Sunday, April 9. Both twin bills will start at 12:00 p.m. EST. Live audio for all four games this weekend will be available on All-Access, SU's multi-media subscription service. Todd Robbins and T.J. Basalla will call the action on Saturday and Robbins will joined in the booth by E.J. Argenio for Sunday's contests.
ORANGE EXTENDS WINNING STREAK TO FIVE
Syracuse enters today’s games riding a five-game winning streak after defeating Binghamton, 9-1, in five innings on April 6. The current consecutive victories streak matches its longest consecutive wins streak for the Orange this season. SU has won 10 of its last 11 games with its only defeat during that time coming at the hands of St. John’s, 7-4, on March 26. The longest winning streak in team history is eight games achieved last season from April 10-17, 2005.
SU IN HOME OPENERS
The Orange owns a 3-3 record in its six home openers, alternating wins and losses each year since 2000. Syracuse won the first-ever game at the SU Softball Stadium defeating Binghamton, 10-3, on April 6, 2000. The Orange dropped last season’s home opener to Connecticut, 2-0.
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
The Softball Stadium at Skytop has been an intimidating place for opposing teams. The Orange is 47-29 (.618) in six seasons at the facilitY. SU was 6-3 (.667) at the SU Softball Stadium in 2005 and the Orange set a team record with 10 home victories in 2001. SU is 24-22 in BIG EAST Conference games played at the facility, and has posted a 13-5 (.722) mark in home league games the last two years.
LAST TIME OUT
The Orange pounded out 14 hits and each of SU’s nine starters had at least one hit as the Orange defeated Binghamton (4-19) by the score of 9-1 in five innings at the East Gym Complex on Thursday, April 6. Rookies Dani Stuart, Nicole Miller, Tonye McCorkle, Heather Kim and senior Cassie Morales each had two hits in the game for SU. Miller smacked a career-best two doubles and tied her personal best with two runs batted in. Kim also had two RBI. Stuart was 2-for-2 with two runs scored. SU outhit the Bearcats, 14-3, in the contest.
The Bearcats scored their only run in the bottom of the inning when Mia Bieman drew a bases loaded walk.
Alexis Switenko improved to 7-1 on the mound, going all five innings and striking out five. She walked three and allowed three hits, all singles.
SWITENKO RANKED NATIONALLY IN HOMERS AND RBI
SU senior shortstop/pitcher Alexis Switenko is among the national leaders in two offensive categories. As of April 5, Switenko ranked 17th in the nation in home runs (11) and 33rd in runs batted in (26). Switenko added to her RBI total at Binghamton on April 6, driving in a run with a double in the fourth inning to boost her RBI to 27. Switenko’s 11 home runs are the most by an SU player in one season. Five of those blasts have come against conference opponents and she is three long balls short of tying the BIG EAST season record (conference regular- season games only) of eight held by Jarrah Myers of Notre Dame (2002) and Providence’s Cori Van Dusen (2004). Switenko has 17 career dingers in league play which ranks second on the BIG EAST’s all-time list.
SCOUTING THE FIGHTING IRISH
Notre Dame is receiving votes in both national polls this week and it is one of two teams unbeaten in conference play (4-0) heading into this weekend. They are 20-11. The Fighting Irish had its nine-game streak snapped earlier this week, losing to Akron, 4-2, on April 5. Freshman Britteny Bargar is the reigning BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week after going 2-0 last weekend, including an eight-inning no-hitter versus Connecticut. Bargar is 10-4 and fellow hurler Heather Booth also has 10 wins. Booth leads the team in ERA (1.27). Stephanie Brown is the club’s top hitter at .351 (34-97) and leads the team in doubles (7), runs scored (22) and is tied for the team lead in home runs (4). She is also 14-of-14 in stolen base attempts.
SCOUTING THE BLUE DEMONS
DePaul is ranked 25th in the latest ESPN.com/USA Softball rankings released on April 4 and the Blue Demons are receiving votes in this week’s USA/NFCA Coaches Poll. DePaul improved to 16-9 with a pair of wins against Valpariaso on April 4. The Blue Demons have outscored its foes 104-83 this season and they have five players with at least 11 runs batted in. Amber Patton ranks fourth in the BIG EAST with a .383 batting average. She is 23-for-60. None of her 23 hits have gone for extra bases. Marci Wilus and Jackie Tarulli-Fisher have each hit four home runs this season and Wilus leads the team with a .609 slugging percentage. DePaul has three pitchers that have won at least four games this season. Megan Huitink leads the team with six victories and eight complete games. All three of its hurlers have an ERA below 3.00 and Tracie Adix is tops on the club with 34 strikeouts.
SERIES RECORDS
The Fighting Irish own an 11-1 lead in the all-time series against the Orange. Notre Dame has won the last eight meetings. SU’s only win in the series was a 3-0 shutout on April 14, 2002 at Notre Dame. Sunday's games versus DePaul will mark the first time SU and the Blue Demons have met on the diamond.
