Syracuse places in the bottom half of the ACC in both average and on base-percentage. It’s been a stark contrast from SU’s performance last season, when it finished second in the conference in both categories.

With the middle of a tough Atlantic Coast Conference schedule on the horizon, the Orange (15-11, 4-5 Atlantic Coast) is using any tactics necessary in practice to improve its play offensively. SU has even opted to face its own pitchers and coaches during the week, in preparation for conference games.

At the top of SU’s rotation is sophomore Alexa Romero. With a program-record three no-hitters, 143 strikeouts and a 1.64 earned run average on the young season, she’s earned Atlantic Coast Conference pitcher of the week honors twice.

She’s also a pretty good batting practice pitcher.

“Every so often we’ll have our pitchers throw to us,” junior utility player Alicia Hansen said. “It’s definitely more difficult than facing any other pitcher that we face in the ACC.”

The intersquad competition provides added motivation, Hansen said, for both the batters and the pitchers. Between the pitchers wanting strikeouts and the lack of pressure in the practice situation, the groups don’t hold back.

In addition to Romero throwing to her teammates, Syracuse also uses the rest of its staff and its coaches for batting practice as well. Assistant coach Miranda Kramer, who was an all-American pitcher at Western Kentucky, is a frequent foe for Orange hitters. Kramer, a lefty, was drafted to the Pennsylvania Rebellion — a National Pro Fastpitch softball team — before becoming a coach.

If Syracuse is scheduled to face a left-handed pitcher in their upcoming game or weekend, Kramer will throw to the team during practice.

“Kramer has done a great job with (the batters),” head coach Mike Bosch said.

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Bosch isn’t a stranger to the practice pitcher’s circle either, often serving as Syracuse’s right-handed pitching machine during batting. He throws just as well live as any other pitcher, Hansen said, and prepares the Orange for any upcoming right-handed pitchers on the schedule.

SU doesn’t just game plan for left-handed or right-handed matchups, either. When SU’s likely to face a dropball pitcher, it’ll throw resident dropball-specialist AnnaMarie Gatti in practice, all in an effort to make it as similar to game situations as possible.

Though SU controls as many variables as possible in practice, one factor is out of Syracuse’s control: weather. Since the central New York climate doesn’t allow much outside practice time, SU practices indoors at Manley Field House until the snow melts. In the dark, hangar-like space, it’s difficult for batters to pick up pitches due to the pitchers’ closer proximity to the batters and the unnatural lighting.

“It seems like it’s just coming in that much quicker,” Hansen said. “So then when you go outside on the weekend against different pitchers, it’s that much easier for us.”

Syracuse began its season and conference slate on fire at the plate, an outburst that translated in its early-season 15-8 overall record and 4-2 ACC mark. Prior to playing a three-game series with Florida State, starting on March 23, four Orange batters were hitting above .300, led by junior standout Bryce Holmgren.

But after getting swept by the Seminoles, Syracuse fell under .500 in conference play and saw its number of batters above the .300 mark cut in half.

“The work we’ve put in so far, I’ve been trying to stay as level as possible,” Holmgren said. “Just not trying to do anything too much and keeping it simple.”

Despite thoughtful work in practice, the results haven’t quite translated onto the diamond for SU. With a grueling ACC slate looming, the Orange likely needs to keep working on getting the offense on track.

Published on March 27, 2018 at 8:37 pm

Contact Eric: erblack@syr.edu | @esblack34