Q.

It’s not as commonplace as batting average or on-base percentage, but the statistic Q is just as highly regarded in the Syracuse program.

It’s a calculation that SU hitting coach Matt Nandin jots down in a scorebook to keep track of his players’ quality at-bats each game.

Quality at-bats are something Syracuse (13-16, 6-5 Atlantic Coast) prides itself on and strives to achieve with each trip to the plate. The Orange will look to accumulate as many Qs as it can as it prepares to face North Carolina State (20-10, 10-4) in a three-game series on Saturday and Sunday.

“The mentality for us is quality,” head coach Leigh Ross said. “The mentality for us is going deep in the count, fouling everything off to find a good pitch.”

The designation of the Q for each at-bat is not just the discretion of Nandin, but rather is defined by a set of specific circumstances in which a player can achieve a quality at-bat.

A player will earn a Q during an at-bat if she gets a base hit, walks, gets hit by pitch, advances a runner from second to third with nobody out, sacrifice bunts, hits a sacrifice fly, records an RBI, hits a ball with gusto or has an at-bat that lasts eight pitches or longer.

In a game where failure 7-of-10 times is deemed a success, the formula behind a quality at-bat reflects just that. Only one circumstance of the eight involves succeeding with a hit, while everything else could be deemed a lesser accomplishment.

Nandin said using this new avenue to measure success is a move to boost confidence, which he claims is imperative to any hitter.

“It’s silly to have a couple of bad hits like bloop singles and feel better than if you hit three line drives and they were all caught for outs,” he said. “You did everything correctly, but didn’t succeed statistically.

“The more confident you are hitting, the easier it is.”

Certain elements of a quality at-bat could stand to be improved by the Orange. This season SU has a total of 11 sacrifice hits, toward the bottom of the ACC. In addition, hitters Mary Dombrowski, Shirley Daniels and Sydney O’Hara are leading the ACC in strikeouts.

Ross isn’t trying to preach a “small ball” style of play. Q is simply a way of reminding the team that success can come without collecting a hit.

“If you get out and don’t see a “Q” next to your name on the roster,” junior outfielder Mary Dombrowski said via email, “you know you have to change your approach for your next at-bat.”

For SU, it’s all about trying to find a balance to achieve success. A balance in the different kinds of quality at-bats is the mantra instilled in the players’ heads.

Syracuse — which leads the ACC in strikeouts and places fourth in home runs — looks to be far from balanced, but focusing on achieving a Q each at-bat is helping the cause.

“A balanced offense with an even number of hits, to strikeouts, to walks, to sacrifice bunts, is really important,” sophomore shortstop Corrine Ozanne said. “Home runs will come and all, but its more important than anything to balance out the offense.”

The Orange hopes the balance will come as it continues playing out its season. For now, veterans on the team like Dombrowski are ensuring every player seizes each at-bat to produce quality results.

Said Dombrowski: “It’s about bettering yourself with each and every opportunity you are given.”

Published on April 4, 2014 at 1:30 am

Contact Connor: cgrossma@syr.edu | @connorgrossman