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Makenzie Foster had a chance to clinch Syracuse’s first home win of 2024. On March 29, SU was tied 5-5 with Georgia Tech in the bottom of the seventh inning. Foster stepped up to the plate, looking to drive in Laila Morales-Alves from first base for the game-winning run.

Foster worked the count full versus GT pitcher Chandler Dennis before slamming a double deep into right field. Madison Dobbins scrambled to throw the ball in, but Morales-Alves cruised home safely. Foster’s teammates mobbed her with celebratory hugs as she put the exclamation point on Syracuse’s 6-5 walk-off win.

“I’ve always dreamed of a moment like that growing up,” Foster said. “Being able to do that and having my team run toward me, I’m grateful.”

As a freshman for the Orange in 2024, Foster has found instant success. The infielder has started 27 games and boasts a .321 batting average — the second-highest on SU. Foster’s experiences facing top competition throughout her childhood prepared her for the Division I level. She refined her skills with high-level youth programs like the Indiana Dreams and the Beverly Bandits (Illinois), a team she helped lead to a Premier Girls Fastpitch (PGF) National Championship appearance in 2022.

Softball was a staple for Foster growing up. Her mother, Kylie, was a veteran of the sport and her father, Jeremy, played high school baseball. This prompted Foster to play softball at Columbus East High School (Columbus, Indiana) and join small-scale travel teams in her area. But she struggled to find the right fit, until she discovered the Indiana Dreams.

“It was the first real learning experience for me, like ‘this is what real travel softball is,’” Foster said.

Fernanda Kligerman | Design Editor

During her stint with the Dreams, Foster competed against high level teams from different states. But one of the Dreams’ biggest rivals was the Beverly Bandits.

During a matchup between the Dreams and Bandits at a tournament in Ohio in 2019, Foster stood out to Beverly’s coaching staff. After the game, the two teams’ head coaches met and talked about Foster. Both felt it would be best for her to join the Bandits the next season.

“They are one of if not the highest travel ball teams you can play on as far as competitiveness,” Foster said.

Foster prepared for the switch as a freshman in high school, but the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down. Yet Foster remained active, spending hours in hitting facilities sharpening her skills.

Once things returned closer to normalcy, Foster embarked on her journey with Beverly. The team traveled to Arizona, California, Florida and Colorado for tournaments and at the end of each season, the Bandits entered their name for the ultimate test at the PGF National Tournament — the best youth fastpitch softball division in the world. To finish first in the win-or-go-home tournament, Beverly needed to win four straight games.

In 2021 — Foster’s first season — the Bandits fell one win short of punching a ticket to the championship. But with their core intact, they advanced to the PGF National Championship in 2022, where they faced the Georgia Impact. The Bandits clung to a 2-0 lead heading into the fourth inning, yet the Impact scored five unanswered runs as Beverly lost 5-2.

“Our team didn’t get behind a lot, but (head coach Bill Conroy) was telling us to stay focused on the process of the game and also to play our own game,” Foster said. “Stay within ourselves and in the moment, but don’t make the moment too big.”

When revisiting the heartbreaking loss, Foster focused on the positives and believed it prepared her for the college game. She also learned what it’s like to fight and earn a spot in a competitive environment, which gave her the motivation to improve.

Syracuse infielder Makenzie patiently awaits a pitch in the batters box. Maxine Brackbill | Photo Editor Position

While the defeat ended her Bandits career, Foster still had a season ahead of her at Columbus East. She starred for the Olympians as a two-time captain while setting the school’s stolen base record (89).

“We worked with her a bit on the strategy of stealing, (like) when is a good time or not a good time to steal,” said Columbus East softball head coach Rusty Brummett. “(But) sometimes you just get out of the way of some people who are really good.”

Eventually, Syracuse reached out to recruit Foster, which came as a surprise since SU wasn’t on her radar. Regardless, she was excited to travel east for the tour. During her initial visit, Foster met Syracuse head coach Shannon Doepking and a few potential teammates who she texted often throughout her weekend visit. When Foster arrived home, she knew SU was where she belonged and officially committed to the Orange in November 2022.

Foster has continued to stand out from her teammates in her debut season at Syracuse. Her 25 hits are the third most on the team, only behind senior Angel Jasso (39) and junior Taylor Posner (31).

“She’s gotten to see pitchers at the highest level,” Brummett said. “She’s not intimidated and steps in knowing she’s got the skill set to match them.”

Published on April 9, 2024 at 11:33 pm

Contact Matthew: mgray06@syr.edu