University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Providence
Huskies Drop A Pair To Providence
4/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 21, 2010
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - In a mid-week doubleheader at Providence, the University of Connecticut softball team dropped a pair of games 3-1 and 6-0 Wednesday.
The Huskies fall to 18-22 overall and 4-7 in the BIG EAST while Providence improves to 17-22 on the year and 6-7 in BIG EAST play.
In the bottom of the first inning of game one, after starting pitcher Kiki Saveriano (Lexington, Mass.) started the game off with two-straight strikeouts, leftfielder Brittany Duclos (Mystic, Conn.) made an outstanding running catch into the left centerfield fence to rob Providence of what would have been a three-run home run. The impact knocked Duclos to the ground but she hung onto the ball for the final out of the inning.
The Huskies were the first to get on the board in the third when Jen Ward (Waterford, Conn.) lined a homerun over the left centerfield wall and into the wind for her first career home run and first extra base hit since March 25, 2009. The hit was the first of the game for the Huskies and put them up 1-0.
In the fourth inning, Amy DeLuca (Bordentown, N.J.) extended her hitting streak to 18 games after beating out a single to short. DeLuca finished 1-for-3 on the day.
The Friars finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning. After loading the bases, Jen Abrams chopped a single to leftfield to score the tying run. Her ball bounced over the glove of the charging Duclos as two more runs came in to score to bring Providence's lead to two runs where it would remain as the Friars took game one with a 3-1 victory.
Saveriano finished her outing pitching five and a third innings while striking out seven and allowing one earned run.
The Huskies couldn't put much together in game two. Providence brought the offense they ended game one with into the second game and jumped out to a four-run lead after the first inning. The inning was capped off by a two RBI double to right centerfield by #9.
In the second, the Friars tacked on another run to the lead. All day, the Huskies were robbed of hits by great defensive efforts by Providence. Justyne Roy (North Dighton, Mass.) ended the third with a laser shot that could have went for a double down the leftfield line, but instead was snagged by the Friars' third baseman. The top of the fourth began the same way when Amy Vaughan (Somerset, Mass.) blasted a shot to the right side that was grabbed by Providence's second baseman.
The Huskies ended the fourth with runners stranded on second and third and Providence capitalized in the bottom half of the inning by tacking on yet another run to bring their lead to 5-0.
Tricia Sullivan pitched six innings for the Huskies allowing six hits and two earned runs while striking out seven on the day.
DeLuca's 18-game hitting streak came to a halt as she went 0-for-3 in game two.
The Huskies are back in action this Saturday, April 24 when they continue their BIG EAST play at Syracuse with a doubleheader to begin at Noon.
