Time Zone Travel: SU Heads to California

Game Notes

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse softball headed to southern California today to play in its second-to-last tournament before the regular-season begins on March 21. The Orange will play five games in three days, including four in the Long Beach Invitational.

Up first for the Orange is Cal State Fullerton on Friday, March 6. From there, Syracuse will begin play in the tournament against Longwood Saturday afternoon, followed by #4/3 UCLA that evening. On Sunday, SU takes on FIU and closes the tournament with host LBSU.

SU fans can follow action in the invitational via Gametracker. Action at Cal State Fullerton will also be available online via its schedule page.

About the Syracuse Orange (9-4)

Syracuse is off to its best start since 2005 when it was also 9-4 after 13 games played. As it was in 2005, the 14^th game of the season is Cal State Fullerton. With a win against the Titans, Syracuse will be off to its best start in the history of the program.

The Orange is coming off a 4-1 weekend at the UCF Invitational. SU secured victories against Maine, UCF, Eastern Michigan and Tennessee State.

Two members of the Orange were honored by the BIG EAST for their efforts in Orlando, Fla. Junior pitcher Brittany Gardner earned her second Pitcher of the Week honor this season. She pitched complete-game wins against UCF and Eastern Michigan allowing only 13 hits. Gardner threw 13 strikeouts and had only three multi-hit innings in 16 innings pitched to come away with a 1.75 ERA. Freshman Stephanie Watts earned her first conference honor with a spot on the weekly honor roll. She finished the UCF Invitational 8-for-17 with seven runs, three RBI, a home run and a triple.

Scouting the Cal State Fullerton Titans (5-11)

The Titans head into Friday's match with the Orange on a seven-game losing streak. After a 5-1 loss to Long Island on February 21 at the Cathedral City Classic, Fullerton lost its final two games in the classic and then all four in the DeMarini Invitational.

Senior infielder Courtney Martinez is one of four players who has started all 16 games this season. She has a team-leading .333 batting average and is tied for first on the team with four home runs.

Syracuse is 1-2 versus the Titans. The two squads last met at the 2006 Kajikawa Classic where the Orange suffered a 3-2 setback to Fullerton. Highlights from the game include back-to-back home runs from former SU teammates Rachel Tilford and Chanel Roehner to tie the game 2-2 in the top of the seventh. Cal State Fullerton went on to secure the 3-2 victory with a walk-off homer from Candace Baker in the bottom of the seventh. SU's only win against the Titans came in February of 2004 when the Orange defeated the #13 Titans 6-3 in the Fiesta Bowl Classic.

SU vs. Cal State Fullerton

2/11/07 L, 2-3

3/15/05 L, 0-2

2/15/04 W, 6-3

Scouting the Longwood Lancers (6-4)

The Orange takes on the Lancers on Saturday, March 7 at 1:15 p.m. (PST). This will be the first meeting between the two ball clubs.

Longwood hosted the Longwood Spring Classic and played two of its four games due to weather. The Lancers secured a 4-1 victory against Iona and a 14-3 win against Central Connecticut State. Senior catcher Emily Radford led Longwood in the two games finishing 5-for-7 with four RBI.

Freshman Courtney Long leads the Longwood team with a .476 batting average, while sophomore pitching ace Briana Wells owns a 2.40 ERA in eight games.

Scouting the #4/3 UCLA Bruins (19-2)

The #4/3 Bruins head into this weekend's action at the Long Beach Invitational on a 14-game winning streak. Most recently, UCLA shutout San Diego, 13-0, on March 1. Senior Amanda Kamekona, junior Julie Burney and sophomore Katie Schroeder all had three hits, while sophomore Donna Kerr struck out a career-high 16. Schroeder leads the Bruins with a .406 batting average and has hit seven home runs so far this season. Kerr has 10 wins in the circle and has a 2.86 ERA.

SU is 1-3 all-time against the Bruins. The most recent meeting between the two teams came in 2007. Third-ranked UCLA secured a 14-4 win against the Orange in six innings. Syracuse's only win came in 2005 when the Orange upset #3 UCLA, 2-1. A two-run homer from Courtney Mosch in the bottom of the fourth to win the game.

The two teams meet Saturday night at 7:45 p.m. (PST).

SU vs. UCLA

2/9/07 L, 4-14 (No. 3 UCLA)

3/11/06 L, 0-3 (No. 4 UCLA)

2/13/05 W, 2-1 (No. 3 UCLA)

3/5/04 L, 1-4 (No. 1 UCLA)

Scouting the FIU Golden Panthers

The Golden Panthers travel to the Long Beach Invitational hoping to end a four-game losing streak. FIU's most recent loss came at the hands of Western Kentucky, 4-1. Sophomore infielder Iriseldis Sorberon was the top Golden Panther against WKU going 2-for-2.

From the plate, FIU is led by freshman Jenny Welch who owns a .327 batting average. In the circle, junior Kasey Barrett has appeared in 14 games and has a 4-2 record with a 1.90 ERA.

SU hopes to secure its first-ever victory against FIU. The programs last met in 2007 at the Golden Panther Invite. FIU won the game, 8-2.

The Orange meets the Golden Panthers on March 8 at 1:15 p.m. (PST).

SU vs. FIU

2/25/07 L, 2-8

3/14/03 L, 1-3

Scouting the Long Beach 49ers (12-7)

Long Beach is SU's final game of the weekend. The 49ers are on an eight-game winning streak with junior Kristin Pocock leading all players with a .370 batting average. She earned her second Big West Player of the Week honor after leading LBSU to a perfect 5-0 showing at the Mayfair Tournament. She hit .471 (8-for-17) with four RBI, two runs, three double and one triple.

Sophomore pitcher Brooke Turner has won four straight decisions for Long Beach with three shutouts. She has a 7-3 overall record so far this season.

The Orange last met the 49ers at the 2007 Kajikawa Classic. Despite a 12-3 loss in five innings, SU's Tilford hit a home run and the other two runs came from Heather Kim and current senior Nicole Miller.

SU vs. LBSU

2/10/07 L, 3-12 (5)

3/11/06 L, 2-15 (5)

Syracuse University Athletics

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