Kelly Saco did not want game one to set the tone for the weekend. The loss was just too crushing.

In that first game of its series against Connecticut, Syracuse scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh. But SU stranded the tying run on third, yielding a 3-2 loss Saturday to the Huskies. The close loss and failed rally could have caused Syracuse to fall apart in the weekend’s other two games.

But Saco refused to let that happen.

The first baseman took charge in the Syracuse huddle in between games. Despite the loss, Saco saw something that had been lacking in the Orange dugout recently. A complete team.

‘(I told them) even though we lost — and it would have been nice to win — we played like a team,’ the sophomore said. ‘We kind of came together there, and everyone really pulled for each other. No one was being selfish.’

Her animated speech inspired the Orange’s play the rest of the weekend. Syracuse went on to defeat UConn 9-6 in the second game Saturday, snapping a three-game losing streak, and then won 5-1 in the rubber match Sunday.

Syracuse head coach Leigh Ross has said all year that she is looking for her players to be leaders. Saco’s taking control of the huddle in between games on her own is a perfect example of what she wants.

‘I like the things she says during the games and in between games,’ Ross said. ‘She can get the emotion going. She can play that way.’

The Syracuse offense was held to eight total runs in the Orange’s three-game losing streak. The Orange pounded out 17 hits in the two wins Saturday and Sunday. Seven of those were extra-base hits.

For a team to come out like that after coming up short in devastating fashion, Ross feels it takes a great deal of leadership from within. And that leadership is noticed by Saco’s teammates.

‘Coach always says great things, but when (we) hear it from our own teammates, it just kind of pumps us up some more,’ sophomore Jenna Caira said. ‘(It makes us think) like we’ve got to win this, we’ve got to pick ourselves up and get this (win) for the next game.’

The Orange is a young team that sometimes lacks the maturity of other Big East opponents with many upperclassmen. Juniors Hallie Gibbs and Rachel Helman are the only upperclassmen in the lineup. Ross considers Gibbs to be one that leads by example, rather than being a vocal leader.

With the lack of upperclassman contributors, there is more pressure on the freshmen and sophomores to lead.

‘We just need to find somebody that can calm everybody down, keep them in control,’ Ross said. ‘A mature leader is what we kind of need.’

Saco has been slowly working into a leadership role all season. She always tries to be a vocal leader on the field, encouraging the pitchers and other infielders. Her struggles at the plate this season (a .205 batting average) limit her ability to lead by example, but Saco is able to channel her struggles into helping her teammates.

‘It’s tough when you’re doing bad — I definitely know that from experience,’ Saco said. ‘When you’re just having those days, you need someone to pick you up. I just want to be looked at as the person that picks you up.’

mcooperj@syr.edu

Published on April 25, 2010 at 12:00 pm

Contact Mark: mcooperj@syr.edu | @mark_cooperjr