University of Connecticut Athletics
Softball Drops Pair to USF in Regular Season Finale
4/29/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
USF 3, UConn 1
USF 8, UConn 3
TAMPA, Fla. (April 29, 2007) - The University of Connecticut softball team dropped two games to USF on Sunday afternoon to close out the regular season in Tampa, Fla.
The Bulls took game one 3-1 before posting an 8-3 win over the Huskies in game two.
UConn ends the 2007 regular season with a 22-20 record and 10-9 in the BIG EAST. USF moves to 39-21 and 11-5 in the conference.
Game one began with the Bulls posting a run in the bottom of the first. Tara Toscano crossed the plate off a single from Danielle Urbanik to put USF up 1-0.
The Bulls struck again in the bottom of the fourth. Britta Giddens hit a two-run RBI double to left to increase the lead to 3-0.
UConn responded in the top of the fifth as junior Allie Gendron (Amherst, Mass.) led off with a double to left center. Sophomore Danielle Del Ponte (Tewksbury, Mass.) reached first on an error by the Bulls and advanced to second to drive home Gendron. The Huskies closed out the inning with one run off two hits with the score 3-1.
USF held onto the lead to take the first game 3-1.
Cristi Ecks was tough on the mound for the Bulls allowing only three hits with nine strikeouts. Senior Krista Michalczyk (Salem, N.H.) took the loss in the circle for UConn pitching a complete game with eight hits and three strikeouts.
USF got out to a quick start in game two. The Bulls scored four runs off two hits to take the early 4-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning.
However, the Huskies fought back in the top of the second. Sophomore Jillian Ortega (Aberdeen, N.J.) got things started with a single to left field. Sophomore Sarah Neuschwander (Chugiak, Alaska) was walked to advance Ortega to second. Senior Jessica Quan (Stockton, Calif.) hit an RBI single down the left field line to drive home Ortega for the 4-1 score.
The Bulls added four more runs in the bottom of the third to take an 8-1 lead.
In the top of the seventh, UConn got on the board again. Quan led off with a single up the middle. Sophomore Micah Truax (South Glens Falls, N.Y.) ripped a double to left center that allowed Quan to score. Senior Holly Calcagno (Cedar Grove, N.J.) followed suit on the following at-bat adding a double to left center which allowed Truax to cross the plate.
The hits ended there for the Huskies with USF winning game two 8-3.
Kristen Gordon earned the win for the Bulls pitching 6.2 innings with nine strikeouts.
The Huskies must now await their fate for the BIG EAST Tournament as the rest of the conference teams conclude play next weekend.
