Spring Break
The Daily OrangeSoftball | On the bubble, Syracuse looks to strengthen NCAA resume at Big East tournament
By Matt Gelb
Posted: 5/10/06, 7:42 PM EST Section: Sports
But first things first: a date with DePaul, a team which may have turned around SU's season in early April.
One day after beating Notre Dame for the first time in four years, the Orange swept then-No. 25 DePaul at SU Softball Stadium. SU won the first game in dramatic fashion, 5-4, on a play at the plate. After an Alexis Switenko wild pitch, catcher Kim Weinstein raced to the backstop, relayed the ball to Switenko, who applied the tag on Sara Bandauski to record the final out of the game.
Using the momentum from the first game, the Orange crushed the Blue Demons in game two, 8-1.
"We knew the potential was there," Firnbach said after the DePaul sweep. "But honestly we just didn't know what was going to happen."
The two victories against DePaul started a seven-game winning streak for the Orange in April. Firnbach can look back at the first game against the Blue Demons to predict what may happen today in the first round of the Big East tournament.
Both Erin Downey and Switenko pitched in the thrilling victory; in fact, it was Switenko's first save of her career. Firnbach may turn to her two-headed pitching monster in the same game more often come postseason play.
The format of this year's tournament has changed. With the addition of three teams to the conference, the Big East scrapped the old four-team, double elimination system in favor of a bigger tournament. Eight teams comprise this year's field and it is now lose once and go home. Knowing she does not have to save one of her pitchers for a consolation game, Firnbach will approach the postseason with a different strategy.
"It's a completely different outlook," Firnbach said. "We'll probably make decisions a little differently than we have throughout the season. We won't wait too long and push things to the limit. We might all of a sudden make a quick change and hope it works out."
Downey, who has had a week and a half to rest to heal her nagging finger and back injuries, says both she and Switenko are ready at a moment's notice to come into a game and pitch.
One day after beating Notre Dame for the first time in four years, the Orange swept then-No. 25 DePaul at SU Softball Stadium. SU won the first game in dramatic fashion, 5-4, on a play at the plate. After an Alexis Switenko wild pitch, catcher Kim Weinstein raced to the backstop, relayed the ball to Switenko, who applied the tag on Sara Bandauski to record the final out of the game.
Using the momentum from the first game, the Orange crushed the Blue Demons in game two, 8-1.
"We knew the potential was there," Firnbach said after the DePaul sweep. "But honestly we just didn't know what was going to happen."
The two victories against DePaul started a seven-game winning streak for the Orange in April. Firnbach can look back at the first game against the Blue Demons to predict what may happen today in the first round of the Big East tournament.
Both Erin Downey and Switenko pitched in the thrilling victory; in fact, it was Switenko's first save of her career. Firnbach may turn to her two-headed pitching monster in the same game more often come postseason play.
The format of this year's tournament has changed. With the addition of three teams to the conference, the Big East scrapped the old four-team, double elimination system in favor of a bigger tournament. Eight teams comprise this year's field and it is now lose once and go home. Knowing she does not have to save one of her pitchers for a consolation game, Firnbach will approach the postseason with a different strategy.
"It's a completely different outlook," Firnbach said. "We'll probably make decisions a little differently than we have throughout the season. We won't wait too long and push things to the limit. We might all of a sudden make a quick change and hope it works out."
Downey, who has had a week and a half to rest to heal her nagging finger and back injuries, says both she and Switenko are ready at a moment's notice to come into a game and pitch.
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