Softball Falls to Cal, Routs JMU

Saturday, March 7

Harrisonburg, Va.

10:30 AM

University of Connecticut

12-5

University of California

12-9

UCONN

California

Photo by: Skip Zinn

3/7/2020 11:41:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

HARRISONBURG, Va. – The UConn softball team went 1-1 in two games at the JMU Invitational Saturday afternoon. The Huskies fell to Cal, 8-4 in the opening game of the day. After teams were seeded based on their record through the first three games of the tournament, No. 2 UConn took on third-seed JMU in its final game of the afternoon, bouncing back to route the Dukes (again), 12-2.

The Huskies earned a rematch with the Cal Bears tomorrow afternoon, with first pitch slated for 12:30 pm.

Game 1:

UConn was tripped up by the Bears in its first game of the day. Samantha Barnett (1-3) tallied one run, a homer, and an RBI and Briana Marcelino (1-4) notched a run, an RBI and a double to lead the charge for the Huskies. Reese Guevarra (0-3) and pinch runner Cali Jolley chipped in the other Husky runs while Carli Cutler (1-3) added an RBI and a double to round out the group.

After the teams went three up and three down in the first, Barnett kicked things off in the second with a home run to put the Huskies ahead 1-0. Cal matched the UConn run with one of its own to tie the game 1-1.

UConn regained a one-run lead in the top of the fourth off Jolley's run. Olivia Sappington began the sequence with a single through the right side. Following her theft of second, Jolley advanced to third on a wild pitch. The freshman would go on to put the Huskies ahead 2-1 following Cutler's double to center field.

Cal put five runs on the board to take a 6-2 lead.

The Huskies cut their deficit in half following a pair in the fifth. Marcelino knocked a double-bagger into center field to bring Guevarra home, then Sappington followed with a single to left field scoring Marcelino.

The Bears tacked on two more runs in the sixth to regain a four-run advantage, 8-4 – the final margin.

Game 2:

UConn bounced back with an incredible run-rule victory over JMU, the Huskies second triumph over the Dukes in as many days.

The Husky offense produced 12 runs, including a home run, off just seven hits, while also adding 10 RBI's and three doubles. Briana Marcelino (2-2), Aziah James (1-2), Kiwi McDaniel (1-2), Reese Guevarra (1-3) and Samantha Barnett (1-3) produced two runs apiece, Carli Cutler (0-3) and Devon Casazza (0-2) providing one each, respectively. Marcelino also added three RBI's and a pair of doubles, James and McDaniel provided two RBI's apiece and Cutler added one of her own to round out the group. Samantha Barnett also notched a double.

Marybeth Olson moved to 8-0 in the circle following four strikeouts in five innings of work.

James Madison struck first once again and held a 2-0 lead after the initial inning. That lead didn't last long, as five-run explosions in back-to-back innings catapulted the Huskies to a lead they had no intentions in relinquishing.

McDaniel scored the first run of the second inning to get UConn on the board, which Marcelino followed with a double-bagger through the left side that scored Casazza and Guevarra. The ensuing play Sappington reached on a fielding error which brought James and Marcelino home for a 5-2 Husky lead.

Barnett started the third off with a double through the right side, notching a run a couple plays later after Cutler reached on a fielder's choice. Later in the inning, James singled to center field bringing Cutler home, and Marcelino followed with another double, this one through the right side, scoring Guevarra in the process. Sappington closed out the inning with a single up the middle and Marcelino and James tacked on a run each to give UConn a 10-2 advantage.

McDaniel put the finishing touches on the win with a home run in the fourth. Barnett also scored to put the Huskies ahead 12-2, then Olson got a quick 1-2-3 to end the game.