Orange Goes in Search of First Win
2/21/2007 9:51:12 AM | Softball
Weekly Release
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MIAMI - Syracuse seeks its first victory of 2007 when it plays five games at the adidas-Golden Panther Invitational, which is being hosted by Florida International University from Feb. 23-25 at FIU University Park. SU will take on Marist in the first game of the competition and also meet Purdue, Texas State and 8/11 Stanford.
The Orange have never played Marist, Texas State or 8/11 Stanford and have only faced Purdue and Florida International once.
Marist College comes into the tournament with a 1-4 record after playing in the Dixie Classic on Feb. 9-11. Texas State currently has a 4-6 record. 8/11 Stanford comes into the tournament with a 9-2 record, winning its last seven games in a row. Purdue started the season with five consecutive losses in the Bulldog Round Robin, but then won two of five games in the Ragin’ Cajun Invitational.
Swinging a Hot Stick
The 2006 BIG EAST Co-Rookie of the year sophomore Tonye McCorkle is off to another hot start leading the Orange in hitting with a .444 batting average after going 4-of-9 at the Kajikawa Classic from Feb. 9-11. Against No. 3/3 UCLA on Feb. 9, McCorkle recorded her 18th multi-hit game with a 2-for-3 performance. McCorkle leads the Orange with a .583 on-base percentage, three walks and three stolen bases. Her three stolen bases are tied for first in the BIG EAST. The sophomore is now sixth all-time in stolen bases (7) and ninth all-time in runs scored (39) and multiple-hit games (18).
Everybody Digs the Long Ball
For the second consecutive season junior Rachel Tilford hit Syracuse’s first home run. She went deep against -/RV Long Beach on Feb. 10. It was Tilford’s second home run of her two-year SU career. Tilford hit SU’s first home run of the year last season versus Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 11, 2006. The junior is first on the team in total bases with seven and slugging percentage (.636). She is also second on the squad with a .333 on-base percentage and three hits. Tilford is third on the team with a .271 batting average. Her .636 slugging percentage is third in the BIG EAST.
"Now Pitching for the Orange" - Chanel Roehner
Junior outfielder Chanel Roehner made her pitching debut for the Orange in the season opener against No. 3/3 UCLA of Feb. 9. Roehner pitched three innings and struck out three Bruins. She also went 1-for-2 versus UCLA. The sophomore also pitched 2.2 innings against -/RV Oregon and 0.2 innings versus -/RV Long Beach on Feb. 10. Roenher is second on the team with a .300 batting average. She is tied for second with three hits and third with a .400 slugging percentage and a .300 on-base percentage. She is now seventh all-time with 87 hits, 15 doubles and 35 extra-base hits. Her career on-base percetange of .313 is 10th all-time.
Fresh Face on the Mound
Freshman RHP Brittany Gardner started all five games for the Orange at the Kajikawa Classic, pitching a team-high 12.2 innings. She struck out 10 batters including five against Western Michigan on Feb. 11 and four at No. 5/5 Arizona State on Feb. 9. Both contests were complete games. Her high school senior year was highlighted by a 0.39 ERA, with seven no-hitters, 332 strikeouts and a 20-4 record.
The Southpaw
Sophomore LHP Keri Casas brings a different view from the plate as the only left-handed pitcher the Orange features. Casas pitched 6.0 innings in three appearances for Syracuse at the Kajikawa Classic. She recorded the first two strikeouts of her career, mowing down one versus -/RV Oregon and -\RV Long Beach on Feb. 10.
Advance the Runner
The Orange did a good job advancing the runners at the Kajikawa Classic, going 14-for-35 (.400). Senior Erin Gray and sophomores Tonye McCorkle and Ev Anderson were all a perfect 1-for-1 (1.000). Junior Chanel Roehner was 3-for-4 (.750) and sophomore Lindsay Wasek was 3-for-5 (.600).
Time Change
The Syracuse versus USF softball home game originally scheduled for Sunday, April 15 at noon has been changed to Sunday, April 15 at 11:00 a.m. The change was made to accommodate USF’s travel plans.
