The Syracuse softball team seems to have no luck. From early-morning arrivals to canceled tournaments, lost luggage to rainouts, just about everything has gone wrong.

And then there’s the Orangewomen’s 0-3 performance this weekend at the Seminole Challenge. The three losses set SU’s overall record back to 2-6 two weeks into the season.

Syracuse wasn’t even supposed to go to Florida State this weekend. Instead, the Orangewomen were prepared to head to Carbondale, Ill., to take part in a tournament hosted by head coach Mary Jo Firnbach’s alma mater, Southern Illinois. Snow canceled that tournament, forcing SU to make last-minute arrangements to travel to Florida State.

After Syracuse flew to Florida early Friday morning, the team discovered its luggage had been lost. After recovering the luggage, the Orangewomen rushed to the tournament to play its first game against Mississippi State, a 4-1 loss.

‘We didn’t play very well,’ Firnbach said. ‘We dropped routine balls, and that normally doesn’t happen to us.’

After rain washed out Saturday’s action, SU returned Sunday with a 3-2 loss to MSU and a 6-1 loss to No. 15 FSU. In the loss to the Bulldogs, the Orangewomen took an early 2-0 lead on freshman DP Cassie Morales’ first home run. Still, SU lost the game.

‘Early in the season, we play tough teams,’ Firnbach said. ‘But at this point, everyone’s getting started and pretty much equal.’

The Orangewomen struggled at the plate, managing just four runs in the three games. Junior second baseman Rachel Park leads SU with a .423 batting average. Besides Park, only three Orangewomen bat more than .250.

‘Hitting a home run was a confidence builder,’ Firnbach said of Park. ‘She’s been pulling some weight for us.’

Freshman first baseman Jennifer Orpitelli has been hot, too. Her .412 average ranks second on the team.

‘I’m pleased that I’m hitting well in my freshman year,’ Orpitelli said. ‘But that hasn’t been helping us win, so it’s not that significant.’

FSU head coach JoAnne Graf said SU’s bats may be cool because the team has only played in two tournaments.

‘When we had played five games, we didn’t hit either,’ Graf said. ‘It just takes getting to used to pitchers and being outside.’

Senior pitcher Tara DiMaggio, who pitched 21 shutout innings in Las Vegas, was ineffective in Florida. She gave up 10 runs (six earned) in 12 innings.

‘(DiMaggio) wasn’t as fast as some other pitchers we’ve seen,’ Graf said. ‘But she had good movement and kept the ball down. She kept us off balance for a while.’

Still, Graf said the Orangewomen ‘will be one of the top teams in the East.’

‘They are playing very well for this early in the season,’ Graf said. ‘They played a lot better than I thought they would.’

Said Firnbach: ‘We just need to start working better together. We need to show our strengths in hitting and pitching.’

Published on March 4, 2003 at 12:00 pm