It was the fourth inning of a February softball game against South Carolina, and Chanel Roehner pulled a deep ball to left field that just kept going.

And going.

And going.

As the expression goes, the ball was gone, eclipsing the left field fence for a home run – much to the surprise of Roehner.

The center fielder never considered herself a home run hitter. Her objective is to rip the ball to the gaps in the outfield. So when the softball fell for a home run against the Gamecocks, Roehner admits she was shocked. A month-and-a-half later, the freshman is proving it was more than a stroke of luck. She has three home runs, good for second of the team. Her 20 RBIs lead the Orange.

Roehner will have a chance to add to those totals as Syracuse visits Boston College on Saturday at noon and Fordham on Sunday at noon.

The entire season has been an adjustment for the California native. On the softball field she converted from pitcher to centerfield, a shift that started over the summer. After a few games in the outfield, Roehner grew fond of the new position.

‘I really like the outfield,’ Roehner said. ‘It doesn’t have the stress that pitcher has. All you really have to do is get under the ball and catch it.’

The move has enabled her to focus more on offense and the newfound power surge. Roehner initially attributed luck to her home runs, but admitted that some new drills are helping her talent. Specifically, emphasis on using her hips and her legs has helped her reach the outside pitch.

That paid off in Wednesday’s wins over Niagara. The Orange beat the Purple Eagles, 5-1, in the first game and 8-0 in the second. Roehner went 2-for-4 in the second game with a pair of RBIs.

‘It was a fun day,’ Roehner said. ‘The field felt like a neighborhood park. It was almost like we were playing in the sandlot with friends.’

There was nothing friendly about the way Syracuse has been beating up pitchers recently. After averaging only three runs a game before Spring Break, the Orange has been averaging more than five runs since the break. In the past four games, it has eclipsed eight runs three times.

‘Confidence has a lot to do with it,’ Roehner said. ‘Earlier in the season, our schedule was tougher. We weren’t hitting the ball as well. I don’t want to say the teams we’re playing now are easier, but they’re not as known. So now we have confidence and we’re rolling with it.’

With 10 games against five Big East opponents remaining, the Orange needs the confidence as it seeks one of the top seeds in the Big East tournament. With a 6-2 conference record, the Orange is tied with Seton Hall for first place. This weekend’s foe, Boston College, is not far behind.

SU needs Roehner to continue driving in runs in order to hold its ground.

‘The whole lineup is hitting solid and we need that to carry over against a team like a good team like BC,’ Roehner said. ‘We’re up there in the standing and we’re playing well. We really want that No. 1 seed.’

Published on April 13, 2005 at 12:00 pm