SB : Syracuse off to fast Big East start behind upstart pitchers
One glance at the Syracuse softball team’s pitching statistics reveals exactly how the Orange (10-17) has been able to rebound from its 0-13 start this season.
Throughout February, the SU pitching staff allowed 63 runs in 10 games, ending the month with a winless record. In March, the staff tallied a 12-7 record while allowing 55 runs in 17 games.
‘They have a presence on the mound now,’ Syracuse associate head coach and pitching coach Kyle Jamieson said. ‘Along with that presence, they are going after hitters right away and not being too fine.’
The Syracuse pitching staff carried that momentum into the weekend as it opened up its Big East portion of the schedule by going 3-1 on the weekend in a pair of doubleheaders against Rutgers and Villanova.
The most impressive aspect of the weekend was its remarkable pitching performances, specifically the pitchers’ ability to throw four consecutive complete games, two each from senior Chanel Roehner and freshman Brittany Gardner.
‘It was huge that our pitchers were able to throw all seven innings,’ Jamieson said. ‘Earlier this year it was a few innings here and a few innings there. I’ve always been a big fan of complete games. I don’t really believe in relievers and all that.’
After a poor start, Roehner currently boasts an overall 2.07 ERA, while Brittany Gardner isn’t far behind with a 2.81 ERA. During the last 14 games, Roehner and Gardner have compiled a combined 1.58 ERA. Opponents are batting .246 against Gardner and a .257 against Roehner.
‘Before the start of the year, I asked the pitchers to cut their ERA in half,’ Jamieson said. ‘I wanted something that was realistic, and last year it was around 5.0. I want to get this program to where the ERA is under 1.5, but that’s asking for a lot. All I wanted them to do this year was cut it in half, and we are happy.’
The newfound success hasn’t come by accident. The staff has dedicated time in practice to gain enough stamina to evade the physical and mental fatigue of a seven-inning game.
‘They’ve also been going (to the gym) Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday doing extra cardio,’ Jamieson said. ‘We have a three-person staff, so we need to have strong legs.’
In the first game against Rutgers, Roehner allowed two earned runs. First baseman Nicole Miller finished the game with three RBIs as the Orange trounced the Scarlet Knights 7-2 behind a four-run second inning.
Later in the day, back-to-back home runs in the third inning and a four-run seventh were more than enough for Gardner. The freshman complemented the offensive outburst by allowing just two runs en route to another 7-2 win.
Roehner earned her fifth win of the season the following day in a 4-1 win over the Wildcats. She allowed five hits and no earned runs and five hits in her sixth complete game of the season.
Gardner capped her impressive weekend hours later in a 2-0 blanking.
Jamieson was especially happy with the streaks of complete games because it gave SU’s other main pitcher, freshman Angie Sagnelli, an opportunity to rest.
‘It’s a big thing when you can get a complete game,’ Jamieson said. ‘Then the other pitcher is resting the whole time. She doesn’t have to throw two or three innings in the first game of a doubleheader and then have to start the second game.’
The Orange has drastically progressed since its 0-13 start. Still, the squad will need to maintain its momentum, if it wants to contend against Big East powerhouses like Notre Dame and DePaul. For now, Syracuse pitchers can take solace in an impressive outing last weekend.
‘It’s a seven inning game, and you want your starting pitcher to go the distance and give you a chance to win the game,’ Jamieson said. ‘All you’re asking of a certain pitcher to do is give us a chance to win today, and if we’re around two or less runs, then that’s giving us a chance.’
