Syracuse softball knows it’s now or never

By Cole Purvis | @Cole_Purvis

With an expanded ACC, other sports, such as basketball, had to get accustomed to earning an ACC tournament berth instead of automatically getting in. Softball, however, is used to this. Before this season, nine of the twelve teams in the conference would make the postseason. With expansion, it’s now twelve of the ACC’s fifteen teams.

Syracuse is currently in the fourteenth spot, which falls right in line with where it was ranked preseason. Pitt is the only team behind SU.

“Obviously we’re getting down to crunch time with the ACC tournament. Everybody knows where we’re at. It’s not a surprise,” said head coach Shannon Doepking after her team’s 3-0 win at Georgia Tech this past Saturday, a game in which the Orange had to win to avoid being swept for the third time in ACC play.

Syracuse is a program that is used to being on the postseason “bubble.” The ‘Cuse were the very last seed in last year’s ACC tournament, losing in the first round to Boston College. It’s once again going to be a battle to get to this year’s postseason, which is hosted by BC in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. However, Doepking and her group are used to this type of battle.

“It’s just kind of staying in the fight, right, that’s just the identity of this team is that if we’re going to go down, it’s not going to be without a hell of a fight,” she said.

The Orange get in-state foe Cornell on Wednesday, before heading to Virginia for three games this weekend. UVA is 8-7 in conference, and is currently the hardest opponent SU must play from here on out. If the Orange can string together a couple of good performances and win the series, that would go a long way in making the ACC tournament, especially with its next series against Boston College figuring to be one the ‘Cuse could win.

For live updates and coverage of all things Syracuse softball, follow me on X @Cole_Purvis, as well as @CitrusTVSports.