CuseLegacy
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Other Participants... Loyola Maymount, Northwestern, Long Beach St., Nevada and Texas a&M
SB Mary Nutter Classic weekend 2/20/15 in Cali
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CuseLegacy
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http://dailyorange.com/2015/02/chit...or-syracuse-after-learning-both-in-2-seasons/
Chitkowski excels at corner infield spots for Syracuse after learning both in 2 seasons
By Jack RoseStaff Writer
11 hours ago
Danielle Chitkowski never played third base before she got to Syracuse.
Last season, needing a third baseman, coaches stuck her there and she learned throughout the year how to man the hot corner.
“She progressed so much at third last year and then at our end-of-the-year meetings, she was telling us how much she loved third,” assistant coach Matt Nandin said, “and we said, ‘OK, you might be switching to first next year.’”
Like anything, Chitkowski took the news in stride and learned to play her new position. In Syracuse’s (4-6) 10 games, Chitkowski has played first base in five, third base in four and both in one. The junior uses her calming presence to anchor the infield from first and her willingness to adapt when she moves to third.
Though she has found herself at the corner infield spots in every game this season, she rarely played either in high school.
“She was recruited as a shortstop who could pitch,” SU head coach Leigh Ross said. “It’s nothing that she did wrong, we didn’t really need her (to pitch) and this team needs her more as a positional player.”
When her pitching career slowed in high school, Chitkowski started playing first base. The hardest part still was getting used to the bigger, heavier glove that first basemen use, she said.
She also wasn’t used to stretching to pick balls, so Nandin and Chitkowski added extra stretches to her regimen to get more flexible.
“Sometimes I’ll pick a ball and I’ll be like, ‘Oh, look what I found, didn’t know I could do that,’” Chitkowski said.
During a game this past fall, an errant throw from infielder Corinne Ozanne drew Chitkowski off the bag to her left. She stretched out to grab the ball, reached back and tagged out the runner.
“Whoa, I had the ball through all of that?” Chitkowski said.
The position is becoming more instinctual for the utility player.
SU moves Chitkowski’s position between games of a doubleheader, too. Going from first to third is hardest, she said, because she has to remember she doesn’t have a big glove on anymore and ground balls aren’t as easy to field.
The team only does fielding drills before the first game of a doubleheader, so Chitkowski and Ozanne go to the side of the field between games so Chitkowski can practice her new position and glove.
Matt Nandin and student coach Morgan Nandin put ankle weights on Chitkowski and hit her balls at third to quicken her first step. Matt Nandin also taught her how to play the angles at first and third and told her she could step back to give herself extra time before the ball got to her.
“She’s a big, long body and for a first baseman, that’s ideal,” Matt Nandin said. “And as far as third goes, I thought she’d be perfect over there, she’s got a strong arm.”
Just a couple weeks ago, Chitkowski said, Morgan Nandin told her how much better her footwork looked.
When Chitkowski’s at first, her teammates say they know she will be there to make the catch even on a bad throw. And when she’s at third, Ozanne is usually at shortstop, and Chitkowski cracks jokes to lighten the mood with an intense teammate.
“A ball’s hit to her and she makes a good play — kind of thing that just gives you a good trust in who she is and the way that she plays,” Ozanne said. “Her presence on the field is what is relaxing to the rest of the team.”
Chitkowski excels at corner infield spots for Syracuse after learning both in 2 seasons
By Jack RoseStaff Writer
11 hours ago
Danielle Chitkowski never played third base before she got to Syracuse.
Last season, needing a third baseman, coaches stuck her there and she learned throughout the year how to man the hot corner.
“She progressed so much at third last year and then at our end-of-the-year meetings, she was telling us how much she loved third,” assistant coach Matt Nandin said, “and we said, ‘OK, you might be switching to first next year.’”
Like anything, Chitkowski took the news in stride and learned to play her new position. In Syracuse’s (4-6) 10 games, Chitkowski has played first base in five, third base in four and both in one. The junior uses her calming presence to anchor the infield from first and her willingness to adapt when she moves to third.
Though she has found herself at the corner infield spots in every game this season, she rarely played either in high school.
“She was recruited as a shortstop who could pitch,” SU head coach Leigh Ross said. “It’s nothing that she did wrong, we didn’t really need her (to pitch) and this team needs her more as a positional player.”
When her pitching career slowed in high school, Chitkowski started playing first base. The hardest part still was getting used to the bigger, heavier glove that first basemen use, she said.
She also wasn’t used to stretching to pick balls, so Nandin and Chitkowski added extra stretches to her regimen to get more flexible.
“Sometimes I’ll pick a ball and I’ll be like, ‘Oh, look what I found, didn’t know I could do that,’” Chitkowski said.
During a game this past fall, an errant throw from infielder Corinne Ozanne drew Chitkowski off the bag to her left. She stretched out to grab the ball, reached back and tagged out the runner.
“Whoa, I had the ball through all of that?” Chitkowski said.
The position is becoming more instinctual for the utility player.
SU moves Chitkowski’s position between games of a doubleheader, too. Going from first to third is hardest, she said, because she has to remember she doesn’t have a big glove on anymore and ground balls aren’t as easy to field.
The team only does fielding drills before the first game of a doubleheader, so Chitkowski and Ozanne go to the side of the field between games so Chitkowski can practice her new position and glove.
Matt Nandin and student coach Morgan Nandin put ankle weights on Chitkowski and hit her balls at third to quicken her first step. Matt Nandin also taught her how to play the angles at first and third and told her she could step back to give herself extra time before the ball got to her.
“She’s a big, long body and for a first baseman, that’s ideal,” Matt Nandin said. “And as far as third goes, I thought she’d be perfect over there, she’s got a strong arm.”
Just a couple weeks ago, Chitkowski said, Morgan Nandin told her how much better her footwork looked.
When Chitkowski’s at first, her teammates say they know she will be there to make the catch even on a bad throw. And when she’s at third, Ozanne is usually at shortstop, and Chitkowski cracks jokes to lighten the mood with an intense teammate.
“A ball’s hit to her and she makes a good play — kind of thing that just gives you a good trust in who she is and the way that she plays,” Ozanne said. “Her presence on the field is what is relaxing to the rest of the team.”
CuseLegacy
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http://cuse.com/news/2015/2/19/SB_0219151828.aspx
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – Syracuse (4-6) will continue its non-conference slate with its toughest weekend of competition to date this weekend at the Mary Nutter Invitational. The Orange will take on NCAA Tournament hopefuls, Loyola Marymount, Northwestern, Long Beach State, Nevada and No. 23 Texas A&M.
Friday, Syracuse kicks things off with its first contest of the weekend at 4:00 p.m. EST with Loyola Marymount and will finish with an 11:30 p.m. EST matchup with Northwestern.
Its sole game of the day on Saturday is against Long Beach State at 8:30 p.m. EST.
The Orange will wrap up the weekend with a 12:00 p.m. EST game against Texas A&M and will finish with Nevada at 2:30 p.m. EST.
Last Weekend's Highlights
• Corinne Ozanne launched four of her seven home runs this season. She now hits .345 with 11 RBI and has drawn eight walks.
• Maddi Doane continues to thrive from the leadoff spot, hitting .343 on the season and .421 when leading off an inning. She has reached base in all 10 contests.
• Sammy Fernandez has also continued to impress coaches out of the two spot. She leads 'Cuse with a .441 batting average and has recorded multiple hit games in six of her 10 games.
• Both of the freshmen have excelled in pressure situations. Doane has hit .467 with runners on while Fernandez has connected for a .500 average. With runners in scoring position, they only perform better. Doane bats .417 while Fernandez swings for a .545 clip.
• Sydney O'Hara and Danielle Chitkowski each had success at the plate, bringing some production out of the five and seven spots in the lineup. O'Hara increased her batting average to .276 while Chitkowski now bats .273.
• Jocelyn Cater dropped her ERA to 3.72 striking out 27 batters in 19.2 innings of work. She's averaging 9.85 strikeouts per seven innings this season.
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – Syracuse (4-6) will continue its non-conference slate with its toughest weekend of competition to date this weekend at the Mary Nutter Invitational. The Orange will take on NCAA Tournament hopefuls, Loyola Marymount, Northwestern, Long Beach State, Nevada and No. 23 Texas A&M.
Friday, Syracuse kicks things off with its first contest of the weekend at 4:00 p.m. EST with Loyola Marymount and will finish with an 11:30 p.m. EST matchup with Northwestern.
Its sole game of the day on Saturday is against Long Beach State at 8:30 p.m. EST.
The Orange will wrap up the weekend with a 12:00 p.m. EST game against Texas A&M and will finish with Nevada at 2:30 p.m. EST.
Last Weekend's Highlights
• Corinne Ozanne launched four of her seven home runs this season. She now hits .345 with 11 RBI and has drawn eight walks.
• Maddi Doane continues to thrive from the leadoff spot, hitting .343 on the season and .421 when leading off an inning. She has reached base in all 10 contests.
• Sammy Fernandez has also continued to impress coaches out of the two spot. She leads 'Cuse with a .441 batting average and has recorded multiple hit games in six of her 10 games.
• Both of the freshmen have excelled in pressure situations. Doane has hit .467 with runners on while Fernandez has connected for a .500 average. With runners in scoring position, they only perform better. Doane bats .417 while Fernandez swings for a .545 clip.
• Sydney O'Hara and Danielle Chitkowski each had success at the plate, bringing some production out of the five and seven spots in the lineup. O'Hara increased her batting average to .276 while Chitkowski now bats .273.
• Jocelyn Cater dropped her ERA to 3.72 striking out 27 batters in 19.2 innings of work. She's averaging 9.85 strikeouts per seven innings this season.
CuseLegacy
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Syracuse Softball@CuseSB 6m6 minutes ago
SCHEDULE CHANGE! Weather in Syracuse, NY has hindered our travel. We now play Loyola Marymount tomorrow at 9 PM EST!
SCHEDULE CHANGE! Weather in Syracuse, NY has hindered our travel. We now play Loyola Marymount tomorrow at 9 PM EST!
CuseLegacy
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CuseLegacy
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CuseLegacy
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CuseLegacy
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Syracuse Softball@CuseSB · 9m9 minutes ago
Taking some cuts before our game against Long Beach State at 8:30 p.m. EST! Let's make it 3-0 this weekend!
Taking some cuts before our game against Long Beach State at 8:30 p.m. EST! Let's make it 3-0 this weekend!
CuseLegacy
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Game Recap: Softball | 2/22/2015 1:02:00 AM |
‘Cuse Falls Late To Long Beach State, 4-2
Sydney O’Hara’s two-run shot was all the Orange offense could muster in the loss
Next Game:
vs. Texas A&M
2/22/2015 - 12:00 PM EST
Live Stats
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – Another game came down to the wire for Syracuse (6-7) as a two-run sixth by Long Beach State (7-7) was the difference in the pitcher's duel. Jocelyn Cater was dominant again, picking up five strikeouts in 5.2 innings while allowing four runs, but two of which were earned.
With two outs and a runner on second, Long Beach State was able to get on the board to score the runner with a triple down the right field line and then on a wild pitch. The runs represented the first two runs of the ball game, handing Syracuse a 2-0 deficit.
Syracuse was unable to get anything going offensively until Sammy Fernandez kicked off the fourth with a single to left. The 49er's handled the next two batters but with two outs, O'Hara helped her fellow pitcher out by tying the game at two with a home run to right-center.
Neither team was able to score until the sixth when the leadoff hitter reached on an error and the next batter walked to set up the inning. A ground ball by the ensuing batter wasn't hard enough to spin a double play, giving Syracuse one out and runners on second and third to deal with. After a lengthy at-bat, Long Beach State hit a sacrifice fly to score the go-ahead run and later score a fourth insurance run on a triple to right center.
Syracuse was able to escape the inning but was silenced in the seventh. The Orange was able to load the bases with one out thanks to a walk by Julie Wambold and singles by Cater and Danielle Chitkowski but the next two batters weren't able to drive them in, resulting in the 4-2 loss.
‘Cuse Falls Late To Long Beach State, 4-2
Sydney O’Hara’s two-run shot was all the Orange offense could muster in the loss
Next Game:
vs. Texas A&M
2/22/2015 - 12:00 PM EST
Live Stats
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – Another game came down to the wire for Syracuse (6-7) as a two-run sixth by Long Beach State (7-7) was the difference in the pitcher's duel. Jocelyn Cater was dominant again, picking up five strikeouts in 5.2 innings while allowing four runs, but two of which were earned.
With two outs and a runner on second, Long Beach State was able to get on the board to score the runner with a triple down the right field line and then on a wild pitch. The runs represented the first two runs of the ball game, handing Syracuse a 2-0 deficit.
Syracuse was unable to get anything going offensively until Sammy Fernandez kicked off the fourth with a single to left. The 49er's handled the next two batters but with two outs, O'Hara helped her fellow pitcher out by tying the game at two with a home run to right-center.
Neither team was able to score until the sixth when the leadoff hitter reached on an error and the next batter walked to set up the inning. A ground ball by the ensuing batter wasn't hard enough to spin a double play, giving Syracuse one out and runners on second and third to deal with. After a lengthy at-bat, Long Beach State hit a sacrifice fly to score the go-ahead run and later score a fourth insurance run on a triple to right center.
Syracuse was able to escape the inning but was silenced in the seventh. The Orange was able to load the bases with one out thanks to a walk by Julie Wambold and singles by Cater and Danielle Chitkowski but the next two batters weren't able to drive them in, resulting in the 4-2 loss.
CuseLegacy
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4:37 PM - 22 Feb 2015
Syracuse Softball @CuseSB 8m8 minutes ago
We finished the weekend strong with six runs and a shutout against Nevada! 3-2 this weekend! http://cuse.com/news/2015/2/22/SB_0222155541.aspx…
