Courtney Mosch was hooked from Friday’s game against Villanova after allowing four runs against five batters. She only converted one out. When Syracuse softball head coach Mary Jo Firnbach called on Mosch to pitch the second game of a doubleheader against Rutgers on Sunday, Mosch just hoped Sunday wouldn’t be like Friday.

There was nothing to worry about. The sophomore realized quickly that she regained her form, striking out the first two batters. Mosch only allowed two hits in the game while fanning 10 Scarlet Knights. She did not allow an earned run in the Orange’s 14-1 defeat.

For Mosch, her performance was more than a gem. It was a relief.

‘It feels good, finally!’ said an enthused Mosch. ‘That first inning was huge. It gave me a lot of confidence.’

Mosch lacked that on Friday. She said her confidence and focus was missing, and she knew right away that something was wrong. Firnbach said Mosch tried squeezing the ball into the umpire’s strike zone and a pitcher cannot do that – especially against a power team like Villanova. The Wildcats hit a single, a double and a home run in that forgettable one-third of an inning.

On Sunday, it was a different Mosch. Certainly it was a different team opposing her. While Villanova was 31-21, Rutgers is 3-37. But who was stepping into the batter’s box was not as important to Syracuse as who was stepping onto the pitcher’s mound. Mosch certainly has the talent. She entered the game with a team-best 1.79 ERA. Her opponents batted less than .200 against her.

So in Mosch’s case, it was about rediscovering what wasn’t there.

‘It shows a lot about (Mosch),’ Firnbach said. ‘She hasn’t lost anything – just some days it doesn’t go your way, but you can’t let the umpires take you out of your games. But she’s a tough pitcher to hit when she’s on.’

In particular, Mosch’s changeup was clicking. That kept the Knights off balance and with each Rutgers swing-and-miss, Mosch’s confidence brimmed.

Firnbach said that when Mosch struggles, her change-up hangs, and teams can tee off on it. When a changeup arrives waist-high to a batter, it’s practically Christmas. So Mosch worked on keeping the changeup sharp and remaining mentally strong. Both proved devastating for Rutgers.

Helping Mosch along the way as always is senior catcher Katie Kaempfer. Catching almost exclusively for Mosch, Kaempfer serves as a steadying force for the pitcher. Mosch said Kaempfer keeps her confident, allowing her to feel comfortable on the mound. But with all Kaempfer does for Mosch, she thinks Mosch had the senior in mind on Sunday.

‘She wanted to pitch for me because I was a senior,’ Kaempfer said on her Senior Day. ‘We work so well together. She knows her job and is great at what she does.’

The win put Mosch over .500, advancing her record to 10-9. After Friday’s disaster, she understood the importance of coming out strong. The Orange only has two pitchers – Mosch and freshman Erin Downey. If one struggles, so does the team. Thus, Mosch knew she had to get out of her funk.

‘It makes you a lot tougher,’ Mosch said of being one of only two pitchers. ‘The team depends on me as much as I depend on them. I have to be on – no excuses.’

As much as the team depends on Mosch, she depends on run support from them – and herself. Mosch is a unique pitcher because she also bats. When Downey pitches, Mosch plays first base and bats fifth. When Mosch pitches, she keeps her spot in the lineup. Mosch hit two home runs on Sunday, one in both games. She went 3-for-5 between the two games.

‘I wouldn’t be happy if I’m just a pitcher,’ Mosch said. ‘Doing something else keeps me focused because I know I have to do well in batting and fielding.’

Published on April 24, 2005 at 12:00 pm