SU freshmen key fast start for softball in Big East

Leigh Ross didn't flinch when freshman Kelly Saco hit her first career grand slam Sunday afternoon at Connecticut. She wasn't surprised, either, when freshman Stephanie Watts accomplished the feat just nine days earlier at Seton Hall.

After all, Watts and Saco lead Syracuse in homeruns this season, with five and four, respectively. They're also among the team leaders in batting average, RBI and slugging percentage and on base percentage.

Ross, SU's third-year softball coach, anticipated that type of production from the two newcomers.

"We had high expectations for them coming in," Ross said. "So I can't say that they've exceeded our expectations, but they've really bought into the philosophy of the program, which is what has allowed them to play such a big role for us this season."

But Saco and Watts aren't the only freshmen making an influence this season. With eight members of the freshmen class, several others have made appearances in the starting lineup at a variety of different positions.

"There's a lot of us," Watts said. "So if one of us is playing well, it pushes and motivates the rest of us to contribute."

Against Pittsburgh on Friday, freshman pitcher Jenna Caira threw a one-hit shutout in the second game of a doubleheader. She was two innings shy of a no-hitter in just the 12th start of her collegiate career.

In the circle this season, Caira is 6-4 with an ERA of 3.19 in 74.2 innings pitched. Her 73 strikeouts are eighth-most in the Big East.

"I think anytime you bring in that many talented newcomers, it creates a competitive atmosphere," senior shortstop Jamie Kelling said. "And we do have some freshmen that are making a huge impact, which is always helpful when they can step in and play at a high level."

Several of the freshmen are being mentioned among the top newcomers in the Big East. On Monday, Watts was named to the Big East weekly honor roll after finishing 3-for-5 with three runs, two RBI and two stolen bases against Pittsburgh. It was the second time this season she was named to the conference honor roll.

A glance at the Big East statistics proves that SU's freshman class is among the best in the conference. While Ross hasn't yet had the opportunity to watch or play against some of the other classes in the conference, she said that because of the size of the class and its collective talent and versatility, it's a "powerful class" and arguably the strongest she's ever put together as a coach.

"We're here for a reason, and we all want to be the best," Saco said. "We feel that being our best is the only way for the team to be its best."

It's that type of attitude that Ross credits to the success of her program this year. She said that she targeted each member of the class because they fit a specific mold of what she envisioned her program would look like when she arrived at Syracuse.

After last season's 0-13 start, the play of the freshman class has been one of the key components to SU's early season success. As the group continues to develop, both players and coaches alike see this class as a key to future success.

"They've come in and shown some leadership as freshmen and they've kind of rolled up their sleeves and have said, 'Here we go, let's go win a Big East championship.' To have that attitude and confidence as freshmen, I'm sure that each year that will get stronger and stronger and make even more of an impact," Ross said.

"It'll only get better as they get older and gain more experience."

Though SU's focus remains solely on this season, it has become clear that, with so much youthful talent, the future of the team is a bright one.

"I can't wait to come back in a couple of years and see where they are and how they've progressed," Kelling said. "I mean the talent they have is just extraordinary. I would expect big things in the future from this group."

aljohn@syr.edu