University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Split With Virginia Tech in BIG EAST Doubleheader
3/28/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
, - Game 1
, - Game 1
STORRS, CT (March 28) - After a 7-1 win in the first game of a doubleheader, the University of Connecticut softball team came back from a 6-1 deficit to tie game two, but ultimately lost to Virginia Tech who scored the winning run in the top of the seventh to pull out a 7-6 victory. Junior Jessica Gurney (Williamstown, Mass.) earned her eighth win of the season on the mound in game one, and both freshman Jessica Quan (Stockton, Calif.) and senior Maggie Arbogast (Ambler, Pa.) homered for the Huskies in the win.
UConn head coach Karen Mullins coached her 1,000th game in the first game of the day, and her team made it a win. With the split, the Huskies now stand at 11-12 overall for the season, and are 1-1 in BIG EAST play. Virginia Tech is now 26-12 overall and 2-2 in conference play.
The first game was scoreless for four full innings, until Quan helped UConn record a three-run inning in the bottom of the fifth. Junior Suzy de Bary (Roxbury, Conn.) led off the inning with a single up the middle, and freshman Holly Calcagno (Cedar Grove, N.J.) followed with a bunt single. Two outs later, Quan stepped up and knocked one over the fences to bring both runners home and put UConn up 3-0.
All three of Virginia Tech’s batters grounded out in the top of the sixth, and the Huskies came back up to bat and improved upon their three-run fifth inning with a four-run sixth inning. Arbogast was first up, and homered to left center field. Junior Stephanie DiBiase (Hamilton, N.J.) singled after de Bary reached on a walk, and junior Jen Ward (Gales Ferry, Conn.) singled to score DiBiase. A wild pitch advanced de Bary and DiBiase, and junior Mandy Schettini (Coxsackie, N.Y.) knocked out a two RBI double to give the Huskies a 7-0 lead.
The Hokies’ Rachel Pacheco led off the top of the seventh with a double to center field, and was followed by Sarah Prosise who singled, sending Pacheco to third. Ashley Yeager then drove in the lone Virginia Tech run in the game with a sacrifice fly to center field. Mindi Wylie continued the hitting barrage with a single to left field, but the next two batters recorded a ground out and a fly out to end the game.
Game two started on a different note, as the Hokies scored three runs in their first at bat. Pacheco hit a bases-loaded double, and recorded three RBI as all three runners scored.
UConn answered with a lone run in the bottom of the second when Schettini scored on an error after reaching base with a double. The Virginia Tech lead grew to five in the top of the fourth, as the Hokies started the inning with a walk and a double. UConn pitcher Michelle Caouette (Wynantskill, N.Y.) was then relieved by freshman Krista Michalczyk (Salem, N.H.), whose first batter hit a sac bunt which scored the runner on third. UConn put two down with a strike out and a ground out, but Caitlin Murphy started a two-out rally with a RBI single, and Megan Evans followed with another RBI single.
The Huskies were able to erase the deficit with five runs in the bottom of the fifth, beginning with a three RBI home run by Arbogast that scored Quan and junior Jen D’Angelo (Wyomissing, Pa.) who had both reached with hits. Ashleigh Campen (Rougemont, N.C.) continued the comeback with a double down the left field line which scored Schettini, and the final run scored when de Bary singled up the middle to score Campen.
Neither team recorded a run or a hit in the sixth inning, but the Hokies scored the game-winner in the top of the seventh when Pacheco singled to advance Evans who had reached second on a double, and an overthrow from left field allowed Evans to go the extra base.
The Huskies will return to action on Tuesday, March 30 when they face Quinnipiac at home in a doubleheader, set to begin at 2:30 p.m.
