University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
15-21
Boston College
12-23
Tough midweek extra inning contest for the Huskies
4/9/2019 6:48:00 PM | Softball
STORRS, Conn.—The UConn softball team (15-21) hosted Boston College (12-23) in a Wednesday afternoon single game match up at Burrill Family Field. Just like the home opener a few Wednesdays ago, the Huskies took the Eagles into extras on the afternoon.
In what is truly becoming the 'UConn way', Olivia Sappington and two-time American Athletic Conference Player of the Week Briana Marcelino sent a pair of balls blasting over the outfield walls. The Huskies in total nabbed four runs on nine hit, including Alexis Lemus' clutch double late in the game.
The senior duo in Kelli Bates and Jill Stockley returned to the starting lineup, with Bates in center and Stockley in the circle. Stockley tossed several innings and faced 17 hitters from Boston College. She was relieved by reigning AAC Pitcher of the Week Marybeth Olson (9-9) who concluded the remaining five innings.
The teams had mirroring opening innings, posting a run each. The Eagles sent a runner home on a bases loaded hit by pitch. The Huskies played terrific situational offense as Sappington's sacrifice fly to left field allowed Reese Guevarra to cross home plate.
Boston College responded in the top of the second but would go scoreless through the next pair of innings. In the meantime, UConn added a run to their cause to tie it up at two all, on the aforementioned Sappington home run to center field.
This back-and-forth contest heated up heading into the top of the fifth when the Eagles quickly responded with a sacrifice fly of their own. However, the Huskies big-time hitter in Marcelino tacked her home run to left field, with the score now three all in the bottom of the fifth.
A scoreless sixth inning for both teams came on the back of some outstanding UConn defense. Boston College went three up three down by way of several athletic plays made by Carli Cutler at third twice and Marcelino at shortstop for the final out.
Knowing the stakes, neither team let up in the seventh as both posted a crooked inning. A windy whipped single to right center allowed an Eagle to score. Lemus' clutch double to right center was positioned very well in the gap that Cutler had more than enough time to make her way home. Heading into the top of the eighth, the score was tied again but this time at four all. UConn would take yet another opponent into extras.
In a decisive eighth inning, Boston College smacked a double to right center that sent an aggressive base runner home to take the lead. Down but not out, UConn had Ashlee Dahman, Guevarra, and Ashley Esty due up. Guevarra spearheaded the comeback effort with a single skipping down the left field line and advanced to second on a wild pitch during Esty's at bat. She would be left stranded there on a swinging strike out and ground out.
The Huskies will travel to Houston to take on the Cougars for another weekend conference series.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Susannah Anderson (5-12)
L: Olson, Marybeth (9-9)
Batting:
2B: Emme Martinez 1 ; Gianna Randazza 1
RBI: Emme Martinez 2 ; Ellie Mataya 1 ; Jenna Ergle 2
SH: Kristin Giery 1
SF: Lexi DiEmmanuele 1 ; Jenna Ergle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Allyson Moore 1 ; Britney Richardson 1 ; Jules Trevino 1 ; Gianna Randazza 1 ; Maddison Hamilton 1
SB: Ellie Mataya 2
HBP: Jenna Ergle 1
Batting:
2B: Lemus, Alexis 1
HR: Marcelino, Briana 1 ; Sappington, Olivia 1
RBI: Marcelino, Briana 1 ; Sappington, Olivia 2 ; Lemus, Alexis 1
SF: Sappington, Olivia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Guevarra, Reese 1 ; Marcelino, Briana 1 ; Sappington, Olivia 1 ; Cutler, Carli 1
