After watching the cruel wintry weather force the cancellation of its first home showcase yesterday, the softball team hopes the Ithaca air holds out today as it hosts Fairfield University at Neiman-Robison Field.
The Red enters the game with a 12-8 overall record and looking to gain the momentum it acquired at its 14-game stretch in Florida over Spring Break.
The Red had a 6-8 record for the trip, competing against some of the nation’s top teams. Most contests were close until the final innings, as the Red was able to showcase the new talent of a highly touted freshmen class.
The Stags also headed to Orlando over break to compete in the Rebel Games but were not matched up against the Red at any point during the grueling week of play.
Fairfield comes into today’s contest with a 13-16 overall record, having most recently lost both ends of a doubleheader at Boston College last Sunday.
Similar to Red tomorrow, the Stags had one of their finest seasons in program history last year and are riding on the wings of extremely high expectations for this coming year.
Fairfield ended last season at 36-22 (the best mark in school history) and boasts one of the finest pitchers in the Northeast in junior Melissa Santos. She was listed among the nation’s top 20 in strikeouts last season — fanning out over nine batters per seven innings — and ended the year with a 1.09 ERA. They are led on offense by catcher/pitcher Katie Caputi who batted a team best .295 in 2001.
The sophomore duo of Sarah Sterman and Nicole LePera will most likely share the duties on the mound for the Red in today’s doubleheader. Sophomore Kate Varde and freshman Lauren May will look to remain red hot at the plate despite the frigid temperature, producing runs at the middle of Cornell’s order.
If the weather heeds the teams’ request, play will begin at 3:00 p.m. A little cooperation never hurt anyone.
Archived article by Scott Jones