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Message: [QUOTE="CuseLegacy, post: 1290725, member: 469"] Softball | 2/5/2015 4:08:00 PM | [SIZE=6][B]First Pitch Of ’15 Set For Friday[/B][/SIZE] [SIZE=5][B]Syracuse softball will venture to Rosemont, Illinois to kick off the 2015 season[/B][/SIZE] [B]SYRACUSE, N.Y. –[/B] The wait is over. Softball season and Syracuse's first pitch of its second season in the ACC is set for 2:00 p.m. EST on Friday, February 6 against Illinois-Chicago. The matchup is the first of two on Friday as 'Cuse will finish with Miami (Ohio) at 4:30 p.m. EST. Syracuse will take on Samford and Central Michigan on Saturday with starting times set for 12:30 and 5:30 p.m. EST. Sunday, the Orange will wrap up the Total Sports Control Invitational at 10:00 a.m. EST against Western Illinois. Neither one of the teams Syracuse will face in the invitational made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season. [B]PLAYERS TO WATCH[/B] [LIST] [*][URL='http://cuse.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=11395'][U]Julie Wambold[/U][/URL], Mary Dombowski and [URL='http://cuse.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=11393'][U]Corinne Ozanne[/U][/URL] return as the team captains with Wambold and Dombrowski entering their senior campaign. Dombrowski will continue to thrive in the outfield and could see time at second base as the season goes along. Ozanne will roam the infield but will share shortstop with newcomer, [URL='http://cuse.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=11399'][U]Sammy Fernandez[/U][/URL]. Wambold will see time at catcher and second base this year, splitting time with [URL='http://cuse.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=11387'][U]Alyssa Dewes[/U][/URL] behind the plate. Wambold and Ozanne both have a chance this season to rewrite the record books in major hitting categories. [*]All preseason long, the newcomers have done nothing but impress their teammates and coaches. However, even with the deep freshman class, two have set themselves apart from the rest. Fernandez has drawn comparisons to Syracuse great, [URL='http://cuse.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1011'][U]Morgan Nandin[/U][/URL], in the middle infield while [URL='http://cuse.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=11398'][U]Maddi Doane[/U][/URL] has shined at the plate and in the field. [*]This season, Syracuse rolls out a much deeper, more experienced pitching staff. [URL='http://cuse.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=11392'][U]Sydney O'Hara[/U][/URL] returns as a First Team All-ACC competitor after earning the accolade as a freshman last season. [URL='http://cuse.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=11385'][U]Jocelyn Cater[/U][/URL] enters her second season with the program and will look to bring her success at the national level with Team Canada to the collegiate field. [URL='http://cuse.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=11400'][U]AnnaMarie Gatti[/U][/URL], [URL='http://cuse.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=11394'][U]Lindsay Taylor[/U][/URL], [URL='http://cuse.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=11391'][U]Lindsey Larkin[/U][/URL] and [URL='http://cuse.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=11396'][U]Jordyn White[/U][/URL] will also contribute throughout the season. [*]The Orange returns the bulk of last year's lineup along with the additions of Fernandez and Doane. Four players returning hit .300 or better last year with Ozanne leading the returners with 12 home runs last season. [/LIST] [B]COACHING AT ITS FINEST[/B] [LIST] [*]After collecting 24 wins in its first season as a member of the ACC, head coach [URL='http://cuse.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1007'][U]Leigh Ross[/U][/URL] has now led the Orange to 20-win seasons in each of the last 11 years. The stretch includes 30-win campaigns from 2009-2012 in which it took home BIG EAST Championship titles in 2010 and 2011 and made NCAA Regional appearances from 2010-2012. [*]In [URL='http://cuse.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1010'][U]Matt Nandin[/U][/URL]'s first season with the Orange, the Syracuse offense thrived in what was arguably one of its best offensive season since the program began in 2000. Coach Nandin's hitters set single season records in batting average, slugging percentage and on base percentage. [*]Earlier this year Syracuse welcomed back an assistant coach that played an integral part in Syracuse's BIG EAST Championship in 2011. [URL='http://cuse.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1012'][U]Mike Bosch[/U][/URL] guided Syracuse great, Jenna Caira through her best season in a Syracuse uniform. That year the team set a single season records in wins and shutouts while Caira set records for appearances, games started, wins, shutouts, saves, innings pitched and strikeouts. Caira was the 2011 BIG EAST pitcher of the year and won her second straight BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Player award. [*]Known as one of the greatest players in program history, [URL='http://cuse.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1011'][U]Morgan Nandin[/U][/URL] lends her expertise in fielding to the team. Coach Nandin served as Syracuse's starting shortstop from the first day she stepped on campus to the day she graduated and set career records in games played, games started, assists and double plays. [/LIST] [/QUOTE]

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