University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Marist
Pair of Homers Lifts UConn Past Marist, 3-1
3/17/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The UConn softball team ended its spring break trip on a high note, earning a 3-1 win over Marist in the final game of the Reveille Invite at the Aggie Softball Complex on Saturday afternoon.
Much like Thursday night's win over No. 7 Texas A&M, the Huskies (13-16) relied on a pair of clutch home runs and a complete-game effort by junior pitcher Jill Stockley (6-6) to finish break with a 6-4 record.
It is the second win for UConn over Marist in as many days, after winning, 6-2, on Friday afternoon. The Huskies went 3-1 in College Station, splitting with the Aggies and sweeping the Red Foxes in the past three days.
Sophomore catcher Devon Casazza came up with the big hit on Saturday, delivering a two-run homer in the second inning to give UConn an early 2-0 lead. In the fifth inning, sophomore Carli Cutler hit a solo blast - her third of the season - to extend the Huskies' lead to 3-1.
Stockley, the UConn leader in wins and ERA, turned in another strong performance - striking out seven batters and walking none. She allowed one unearned run and scattered six hits, while stranding eight runners on base.
Huskies finish their spring break trip with a 6-4 mark, holding off Marist on Saturday in their final game at College Station. #PhaseWhy pic.twitter.com/QVa2GabHpK
-- UConn Softball (@UConnSoftball) March 17, 2018
It was the latest of a string of excellent starts for the junior, as Stockley went 3-0 this week with an ERA of 0.65 in three starts against North Texas, Texas A&M and Marist. She ate up 21.2 of 34.0 innings this week for UConn pitchers.
Despite committing five errors on defense against Marist, the Huskies managed enough offense to support Stockley. Leading 2-0 in the fifth, the Red Foxes cut the lead in half with an RBI double, but Stockley got out of a jam - leaving runners on second and third to maintain a one-run edge.
In the following frame, Cutler smacked a homer off Marist starter Nicole Teague to add an insurance run for the Huskies. Over the past five days, UConn (4-1) recorded seven total home runs by six different players, as the offense continues to produce.
Cutler extended her team-best hitting streak to seven games. Her batting average of .284 is the second highest of any UConn player and she is hitting .313 (5-for-16) in her last five games.
UConn begins American Athletic Conference play next weekend, when it travels to take on USF in Tampa, Fla. for a three-game series.
