Softball to Face Top BIG EAST Teams

Game Notes
DePaul: Live Stats
Notre Dame: Gametracker | Watch

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse softball team (28-14, 11-5) faces the top two teams in the BIG EAST this weekend when it takes on No. 20/19 DePaul and Notre Dame. Syracuse takes on the Blue Demons on Saturday at noon and faces the Fighting Irish on Sunday at 11 a.m.

Syracuse is coming off a split against nationally-ranked Louisville on April 19 and a sweep of regional foe Siena on April 22. SU's game one, 10-5 victory against UofL was its first upset of a ranked team since 2006 and its first win against the Cardinals. With its wins against Siena, the Orange improved to 8-0 in the all-time series against the Saints.

Senior Amy Kelley led the Orange against the Saints in game one going 2-for-3 at the plate, while senior Nicole Miller and freshman Lacey Kohl were the catalysts at-bat in game two. Miller was a solid 2-for-2 with three runs, while Kohl was 2-for-3 and hit her first collegiate home run.

Junior Brittany Gardner and freshman Jenna Caira earned the wins in the circle. Gardner pitched the final 3.2 innings of game one throwing eight strikeouts, while Caira struck out 10 batters in game two to pitch her 12^th complete game of the season.

Coach Ross has six girls batting above .300 as the regular season winds down. Senior Jamie Kelling leads the team with a .360 average. Kelling and freshman Stephanie Watts, who leads the team in home runs (7), triples (4) and assists (95), combine for 36 of the team's 45 steals. Kelling holds the SU single-season record in stolen bases with 18, while Watts holds the freshman record with 16.

Scouting DePaul

After splitting a doubleheader with Louisville on Wednesday, the Blue Demons have moved into first place in the BIG EAST standings. DePaul is 32-10 overall, with a 16-3 conference record.

Leading the Blue Demons is senior Amber Patton, this week's BIG EAST Player of the Week. Patton owns a team-best batting average of .521, including batting .603 in league play. She has scored 41 runs so far this season and registered 88 assists.

DePaul's leading lady in the circle is junior Becca Heteniak. The ace has a 1.71 era, which sits at fourth in the BIG EAST. She is 19-6 and holds her opponents to a .182 batting average.

The Orange is 2-5 all-time against the Blue Demons. SU last defeated DePaul in 2006 when the Blue Demons were ranked No. 25.

Scouting Notre Dame

The Fighting Irish currently sit at No. 2 in the league with a 14-3 record. Notre Dame improved to 32-14 after a split with North Dakota State on Wednesday. Its 2-1 loss in game one to the Bison was its first non-conference loss at home since 2007. Prior to the loss, ND had been on a 10-game winning streak.

Notre Dame has six players batting .300 or better. Junior Christine Lux, whose batting .345, leads the team with 13 home runs on the season. In the circle, this week's BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week Brittney Bargar and sophomore Jody Valdivia have split time. Bargar has a team-best 1.69 era and an 18-9 record. Valdivia is 14-5 in her 22 appearances.

Notre Dame leads the series between the two squads, 15-3. Syracuse, however, defeated the Irish 8-7 at home last year in game two of a doubleheader prior to heading to the BIG EAST Tournament.

What's Next

Syracuse hosts its final home game of the season on Sunday, May 3 where it will honor this year's five seniors. The Orange takes on Rutgers at noon in a doubleheader at the SU Softball Stadium.

Syracuse University Athletics

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