ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell softball team will return home to face Syracuse on Wednesday, April 11 beginning at 3 p.m. at Niemand*Robison Field. The Big Red, which stands in first place in the Ivy League's South Division, will be attempting to continue its hot play heading into a key Ancient Eight series with Columbia this weekend.

Cornell's young offense has picked up the pace after getting off to a slow start batting .321 with 15 HR as a team over the last nine games to raise its season average to .265. Freshmen Linda Laeufer (.320, 3 HR) and Clare Feely (.300) are both hitting better than .300, while the team's other seven regulars are hitting .250 or better. Senior Erin Keene (.294, 6 HR, 16 RBI) and sophomore Lauren Bucolo (.281, 6 HR, 17 RBI) are tied for the team lead in home runs. Sophomore Jenny Edwards (.258, 5 HR, 18 RBI) paces the team in RBI.

Coming into the season, the big question was how the Big Red pitching would respond after the loss of two-time Ivy League Pitcher of the Year Elizabeth Dalrymple to graduation. The group of seniors Lauren Marx (5-1, 3 SVs, 2.31 ERA) and Jenna Stoller (2-6, 3.88 ERA) and sophomore Alyson Onyon (7-3, 3.78 ERA) have provided the answer, getting it done in the circle, keeping the Big Red in every game. Opponents are slugging just .373 with just 47 extra base hits in 29 contests (Cornell has 79 during that same span).

The winner of three straight South division titles, the Big Red has gone 82-25 in league play since the league went to a 20-game Ivy League slate in 2007. It will look to improve on those marks this weekend when it plays host to Columbia in the home finale.

After going 27-22-1 a season ago and claiming a third consecutive South Division title, Blood's squad will be looking for its 16th consecutive season with at least 25 wins. Blood is the all-time winningest coach in Cornell athletics history for a single sport and enters the week with 558 triumphs (558-256-2) and five conference crowns.

The Big Red will open the week attempting to defend one of the largest home field advantages of any team in the country over the last four seasons. Cornell has posted a 59-15 mark overall and a 38-8 record against Ivy League opponents during that span. The Big Red is 17-6 at home in its last 23 games.

The Orange bring a 24-9 overall record (5-1 Big East) into Wednesday's doubleheader, including wins over nationall ranked squads North Carolina, Michigan and Baylor. The team has won 14 of its last 15 contests overall behind a pitching staff that has posted a 2.13 ERA with 225 strikeouts in just 223.0 innings of work. Jenna Caira is 16-3 with a 1.88 ERA and 136 strikeouts to lead the Orange, while both Lindsay Taylor (2-3, 2.35 ERA) and Stacy Kuwik (6-3, 2.51 ERA) have also been outstanding in the circle. Leading the Orange at the plate is Lisaira Daniels (.363, 7 HR, 21 RBI), who paces the team in hits, runs scored, triples and batting average. Jasmine Watson (.287, 7 HR, 25 RBI), Julie Wambold (.290, 7 HR, 20 RBI) and Carey-Leigh Thomas (.258, 8 HR, 17 RBI) each have at least seven home runs. As a team, Syracuse has belted 40 long balls while allowing just 20. Sixth-year head coach Leigh Ross has posted a 173-132 overall record.