Annie Toczynski was only a high school sophomore in California when she committed to play softball for Syracuse.

“She always finds a way to put the ball in play,” head coach Leigh Ross said of Toczynski in high school. “I think that was always the connection; we need a kid that’s just going to put the ball in play.”

Since she entered the starting lineup on March 7, Ross said Toczynski has done just that, despite striking out in 11 of her 34 at-bats on the season. Now, the left fielder has started 12 of SU’s (12-17, 0-6 Atlantic Coast) last 14 games after making vital adjustments to her swing. Toczynski is more confident at the plate, but is batting just .147.

Ross said Toczynski was injured in the fall, stunting her growth as a freshman. When she started playing, she was leaning over too much at the plate, putting too much weight on her back foot and letting go of the bat with her left hand during her follow-through.

“When I overthink, that’s when I mess up because I try to hit home runs,” Toczynski said. “But I have to realize now that I’m not a home run hitter, I’m a scrappy hitter and that’s my role here.”

Since Toczynski is right-hand dominant but bats left-handed, she has a tendency to pull her weaker hand off the bat. Ross struck a chord in Toczysnki’s mind when she told her to “punch the pitcher” in her follow-through.

“Focus on your left hand, drive it back up the middle, that’s going to be your extension,” Ross said.

Additionally, the head coach videotaped Toczynski’s batting stance to show her how far she was leaning over the plate. Until she saw it, Toczynski couldn’t fix the problem.

Toczynski went to hitting coach Matt Nandin’s optional hour-long hitting sessions before practice to work on her new swing.

“I was more on my back foot, leaning back. It was really ugly,” Toczynski said. “Now I’m more centered and stepping toward the pitch instead of stepping (straight up and down).”

As she worked to fix her swing, Toczynski just needed a chance to show what she could do.

Before the season, left field was slated for Riley Johnson, who was injured in the first weekend of games. For the next month, the position was largely a revolving door.

Against Virginia Tech on March 7, Toczynski made the second start of her career, going 1-for-2 with a single and a strikeout. Ross was impressed with her feistiness at the plate.

“It’s the courage to actually swing the bat and put the ball in play that we’re looking for,” Ross said.

Toczynski said she had to dial back her aggressiveness at the plate to stop pressing for hits. Now, she takes what the pitcher gives her.

Though her stats don’t show it, Toczynski always finds a way to make contact with the ball at the plate, Ross said, and she regularly records quality at-bats.

“Don’t look at the points, don’t look at your batting average,” Ross said. “As long as you’re having good at-bats and you’re seeing the ball well, those balls are going to fall.”

But this weekend’s games may have proven the merits of a different freshman.

After starting the first of a three-game set with Louisville, Toczynski sat while fellow freshman Rachel Burkhardt manned left field. In the series finale, Burkhardt connected on a three-run home run, the first of her career.

The future lineup card is yet to be announced, but Toczynski seems to have earned her team’s respect, no matter her position.

“She showed up in practice, the coaches saw that, they figured they’d give her a shot in the game,” outfielder Mary Dombrowski said. “She’s enthusiastic, she’s always calling out the plays … and she’s always eager to get the ball, which is good to see.”

Published on March 30, 2015 at 11:10 am