At the onset of the day Syracuse’s goal was clear. A win would give the Orange a spot in the Big East tournament, and a loss would end its season at SU Softball Stadium on senior day.

With this in mind, Leigh Ross urged her team to not look into the future.

“Before the game I just kept telling the girls that they had to focus on today,” Ross said. “My message was to worry about Providence one pitch at a time, and the opportunity would come.”

Though Ross also told her team to not think of the game as “do or die,” Shirley Daniels’ play embodied that very mindset.

After Syracuse (23-28, 10-12 Big East) and Providence (22-27-1, 9-13) split a doubleheader on Saturday, Daniels launched the Orange to a 9-4 victory in the weekend cap. On a day when SU’s six seniors were honored, the junior right fielder extended their careers while giving the program a glimpse into the future.

After singling in a run in the bottom of the sixth and scoring on a single by Veronica Grant, Daniels finished the day with three hits, three RBIs, and three runs.

“Shirley was just amazing today,” freshman left fielder Riley Johnson said. “She puts in so much work and comes to every game with so much passion, and today it helped us out a ton.”

Johnson was one of six non-seniors starting for the Orange, a group that wanted to win for the graduating class. Johnson collected two hits, sophomore designated hitter Julie Wambold hit a solo home run in the third and Corinne Ozanne and Jasmine Watson each collected an RBI.

But the fight to play another day was led by Daniels’ performance at the plate, and in the field.

“What more is there to say about Shirley that she didn’t say with her play today?” Ross said. “I am so impressed with her drive and work ethic, and everything she did for us today was huge.”

After setting an SU single-season record with her 30th steal of the season against Cornell earlier in the week, Daniels channeled her inner power hitter on Sunday. Her solo home run in the bottom of the third gave the Orange a 1-0 advantage. Then she smacked her second of the game over the left-field wall to solidify a three-run lead that the Orange never relinquished.

“I was really surprised that I was able to hit the second one opposite field,” Daniels said. “I am usually a pull hitter but my swing felt good today and I was able to spread the ball around.”

With the score 5-3 in the top of the sixth, Providence was mounting a comeback that threatened to end SU’s season. After yielding an RBI single to center fielder Kiarra Baldassari, Stacy Kuwik walked the bases loaded and the cheers from the Friars’ dugout grew louder and more confident.

Right fielder Jessie Bryant walked slowly to the plate. After one ball and one strike, Bryant hit a line drive to right field that was destined to find grass.

As the ball sank so did Syracuse’s chances of clinching a Big East tournament berth. But Daniels slid in and snatched the ball just before it hit the ground. The SU crowd erupted and a section of students broke out in an “MVP” chant as Daniels jogged in to meet her teammates.

All she could do was shake her head, and smile.

“I hated hearing the MVP chants,” Daniels said. “We’re all MVP’s out here and got this win together. I wanted to win it for the seniors today, they are the ones everyone should be cheering for.”

Published on May 5, 2013 at 5:30 pm

Contact Jesse: [email protected] | @dougherty_jesse