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Lindsey Hendrix reared back and fired a two-strike pitch to the game’s first batter. Louisville’s leadoff hitter, Korbe Otis could only watch as the umpire called strike three. It was the 112th punch out for Syracuse across its first 27 games, but the first at Skytop Softball Stadium.

SU begins every season by traveling to warmer climates for an extended period, like many other teams who play in the northern United States. Freezing temperatures and winter storms throughout February and March make the playing field unusable. Instead of having games indoors or not playing at all, programs like SU have the unique opportunity to participate in tournaments in sunnier states, keeping them competitive for when they return home.

“You always want to play at home. But, due to weather, we always have to go somewhere (else),” Madelyn Lopez said after SU’s win over NC State on Thursday.

In their first 50 days of the 2023 season, the Orange played 26 games and traveled to 10 different stadiums across six states, including playing in Florida and California. The team competed in four tournaments: the River City Leadoff, Big 10/ACC Challenge, Low Country Classic and the Lance Up Invite. SU also had nine Atlantic Coast Conference games before ever setting foot on Skytop Softball Stadium soil.

Between its weekend contests, Syracuse returned home and practiced on a football field inside the John A. Lally Athletics Complex. These indoor practices pose challenges, such as a flyball smacking off the roof or having to position the players defensively around an imaginary diamond, but other teams deal with similar issues.

Inside the ACC, Boston College and Pittsburgh each feature a similarly structured schedule, with both teams traveling around the country for 25-plus games until their home opener. In the meantime, BC conducts the majority of its practices inside “The Bubble,” a 360 by 210-foot inflatable that covers the entire BC football field. The heated practice facility stands 70 feet tall and is designed to hold workouts for almost a dozen varsity sports teams during the frigid winter months.

“We don’t even get to practice on our own fields sometimes. It’s freezing and it’s snowing outside. So the tarp is usually on and we practice in the bubble,” said Djhane Valido, a senior infielder for Boston College. “We don’t even see real dirt until we get on the field for the first time.”

But for many players, this type of travel schedule and practice conditions is nothing new. Many high school athletes are forced to travel south each season to compete year-round, gaining attention from college coaches in the process. Before committing to SU, infielder Ryan Starr played travel softball in North Carolina for two seasons despite living in Long Island.

“We as the parents, we enjoy it. It’s not anything unlike what we’ve done for travel softball,” said Starr’s mother, Angela.

On top of colder weather, playing away from Skytop during the early months also reduces injury risk. The softer infield dirt and outfield grass allow the players to keep their footing.

“We love it, because the northeast is cold in February and the ground is hard. So, to get to those warmer climates and for them to play on a much more forgiving ground, consequently less injuries, we enjoy it,” Angela said.

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After winning two of three in the opening tournament down in Jacksonville, Florida, the Orange’s offense had less success in the Big 10/ACC Challenge, dropping three of four to Purdue and Iowa. Their most successful weekend came at the Low Country Classic in late February, winning three straight games against the College of Charleston, Rutgers and Robert Morris.

SU dropped its first six games on the road to conference powerhouses No. 4 Clemson and No. 6 Florida State. Towards the end of the road stint, the Orange’s younger players began to deliver. In its 5-2 win over Notre Dame, sophomore Tessa Galipeau launched her first homer of the season to get the Orange in front. Then, freshmen Lauren Vaughn and Trinity Nichols lined RBI singles to left field, padding SU’s lead.

In its 26th straight and final game on the road before its home opener, Syracuse faced off against the Fighting Irish in the second game of a doubleheader on March 24. Notre Dame, ironically, was hosting its first series in South Bend after playing 22 straight games away from home. Both teams did not scratch the scoreboard, and after two extensive rain delays and over three hours since the first pitch, the umpires called the game a tie, which was SU’s first since at least 2002.

On Thursday, Madison Knight started in the circle against NC State and shut down the Wolfpack, allowing one run on three hits over six innings. The Orange offense added four runs in a 4-2 win, their first home win of the season.

“It meant a lot. Just coming back from being away for the first half of the season, it means a lot to be here and have the team here,” Knight said postgame.

Published on April 9, 2023 at 10:45 pm