University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Split Games on Day Two of the Seminole Challenge
3/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
, - UConn vs. Penn State
, - UConn vs. Rhode Island
TALLAHASSEE, FL (March 6) - With nine runs in the fourth inning, the University of Connecticut softball team defeated Rhode Island 11-2 in five innings at the Seminole Challenge hosted by Florida State University. Junior Jessica Gurney (Williamstown, Mass.) pitched the complete game to take the win for the Huskies, striking out five batters, giving up just one hit and zero earned runs. In their first game of the day, UConn suffered a 3-1 loss to Penn State.
UConn’s overall record now stands at 2-7, while Rhode Island drops to 1-8. Penn State’s overall record improved to 3-11. Pitching woes told the story for Rhode Island, whose three pitchers walked a total of 10 UConn batters, recorded one hit by pitch and three wild pitches, and struck out only three batters.
Junior Stephanie DiBiase (Hamilton, N.J.) walked with the bases loaded in the top of the second to score freshman Holly Calcagno (Cedar Grove, N.J.) who reached on a single to center field earlier in the inning. URI pitcher Jenna Thurston then walked a second batter, freshman Jessica Quan (Stockton, Calif.), to bring in another run for the Huskies.
Sophomore Erica Pernell (Plainville, Conn.) walked for the second time in the game to begin what would be an eventful fourth inning for UConn. Junior Ashleigh Campen (Rougemont, N.C.) singled to put runners on first and second, and sophomore Nikki Ribeiro (Norton, Mass.) reached on an error and advanced on the throw which also scored junior Jen Ward (Gales Ferry, Conn.) who was pinch running for Pernell.
DiBiase recorded her second walk of the game in UConn’s next at bat, and a wild pitch with bases loaded brought Campen home to put UConn up 4-0. After Quan took first on balls for the second time and junior Mandy Schettini (Coxsackie, N.Y.) reached on a fielder’s choice, senior Maggie Arbogast (Ambler, Pa.) blasted a two RBI double with bases loaded.
Katie Halcomb came in for Thurston on the mound, but promptly gave up two walks, with the second bringing home UConn’s seventh run of the game. Ward was hit by a pitch to score yet another run for the Huskies, and a wild pitch followed to score the Huskies’ 10th run of the game. In the final play of the inning, Ribeiro grounded out to bring home Ward, but Campen was put out at third base on the same play to end the inning. The Rams scored twice in the bottom of the fourth inning, with both runs being the result of errors on the Huskies. After a scoreless fifth inning, the game was ended with the mercy rule.
In the first game of the day for UConn, Penn State took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first, and added a third run in their next at bat. The Nittany Lions scored their first run when an illegal pitch advanced their runner on third base. The second run scored on a sacrifice fly by Katie Stauffer. In the top of the second, Penn State’s Jen Williams scored Steph Viola on a RBI single.
The Huskies scored their lone run in the bottom of the fourth when junior Jen D’Angelo (Wyomissing, Pa.) singled to bring home Quan, who had reached on a walk and advanced on an error by the Penn State center fielder.
UConn pitcher Michelle Caouette (Wynantskill, N.Y.) struck out four batters before being relieved in the sixth inning after giving up two walks to begin the inning. Freshman Krista Michalczyk (Salem, N.H.) took over, and with the help of the fielders was able to finish the inning with three runners left on base and no runs.
Penn State tallied two hits in the top of the seventh, but left both runners on base. With two outs, the Huskies got a runner on base with an error in the bottom of the final inning, but never advanced the runner past first before recording the third out.
The Huskies will return to action tomorrow, Sunday, March 7 when they take on fourth-ranked Florida State at 2:00 p.m.
