With a constant drizzle, whipping wind and temperatures teetering around 35 degrees, Syracuse players were bundled in long-sleeve undershirts and coats in the dugouts.

Despite the dismal weather conditions, sophomore pitcher AnnaMarie Gatti threw her best game of the season, giving up just one hit in seven shutout innings against Niagara. She didn’t walk a single batter and only allowed two to reach base in the second game of the doubleheader Wednesday afternoon.

“I grew up in this weather,” Gatti said. “I’m used to this, and I’m comfortable pitching in this kind of weather.”

After the pitching duo of Jocelyn Cater and Sydney O’Hara handled the Purple Eagles (2-12) for a 7-1 win in Game 1, Gatti carried the Orange (14-14, 1-5 Atlantic Coast) to a 5-0 victory in the second game of the afternoon.

Gatti started the game with five three-up, three-down innings, and carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning. Syracuse head coach Mike Bosch said that Gatti’s drop ball was working exceptionally well, and her control was right where it should be.

“(Gatti’s been) putting the ball where she wants to and commanding the games in situations where there was stress,” Bosch said. “She’s really come a long way since she was a freshman.”

The SU coaches teach pitchers to approach every batter differently and it came in handy on Wednesday, since Niagara shifted players in and out between games one and two and pinch hit several times in the latter innings of the second game.

Even so, while Gatti’s approach to every hitter may have been different Wednesday, the outcome was almost always the same. The sophomore rarely took a batter deeper than five pitches and she let just one ball reach the outfield the entire game.

“At the end of the day, she has a certain repertoire that she’s going to have to have,” Bosch said, “And as long as she can make it work, she’s pretty tough to hit.”

After throwing against a Florida State team ranked No. 10 in the country, Gatti knew that Wednesday’s scouting report was much different. She knew that the Niagara hitters weren’t going to be overpowering at the plate, but she still had to be sharp on the mound.

“(Non-conference games) are practices for us,” Gatti said, “So instead of reading what’s across their chest, just attack each batter like you would attack any other team.”

Catcher Hannah Dossett was consistent for the Orange behind the plate, helping back up Gatti’s stellar outing. She doesn’t call the pitches, but it’s her job to make them look good.

“I try to frame (pitches) for each batter,” Dossett said. “Some of them stand closer to the plate, some of them stand off the plate, so I try to work with that.”

For Gatti, the 2016 season has been a sharp contrast to what she went through in 2015. Her 2.63 ERA this season is much better than her 8.67 mark from last season, and she has pitched in almost four times as many innings this season as she did last.

Bosch said that Gatti’s performance Wednesday showed the improvements she has made from last year and how she’s moved up as one of the Orange’s top options in the circle.

“Her drop ball is obviously going down more, velocity is back up, and she’s controlling more,” Bosch said. “That’s her type of game, and that’s what we want to get out of her; you saw the results.”

Published on March 23, 2016 at 9:51 pm

Contact Matt: mjfel100@syr.edu