University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
22-19
Villanova University
35-13
UConn Falls in BIG EAST Championship
5/15/2021 7:16:00 PM | Softball
STORRS, Conn. – The UConn (22-20) softball team closed the door on the 2021 season, falling to Villanova (35-13) in the BIG EAST Softball Championship game. The Huskies battled the Wildcats to the very end in both contests but ultimately came up short.
Game 1 – Villanova 5, UConn 1
UConn struck for the game's first run in the top of the first off the bat of Sami Barnett. Leadoff hitter Briana Marcelino got things started for the Huskies with a single up the middle. She'd be rewarded two batters, making it home on Barnett's RBI single through the left side to put the Huskies ahead 1-0.
Villanova got one back a couple innings later on a solo home run to tie the game at one. The Wildcats added four more to their cause in the bottom of the sixth via a grand slam to grab a four run lead at 5-1, forcing a game seven.
Payton Kinney started in the circle for UConn and faced 15 of Villanova's batters, striking out three of them during her three innings pitched. Kinney was relieved by Marybeth Olson (1-2) who tossed the remaining three innings and picked up seven strikeouts.
Game 2 – Villanova 6, UConn 1
After a 30 minute intermission the teams were back out on the diamond for a winner-take-all game seven to decide the BIG EAST Champion.
Just like the first game, the Huskies cracked open the seal with a run in the first inning. Marcelino took up real estate at second after knocking a double up the middle. Reese Guevarra immediately followed with a two-bagger to left center that brought Marcelino home for a 1-0 UConn lead.
The UConn defense led by starting pitcher Meghan O'Neil, kept the Wildcats off the board through a pair of innings. Villanova's response came in the top of the third via a double to left field. They added another run in the third on a single to right field, taking the lead at 2-1.
The Huskies regrouped and closed the door on Villanova in the follow inning. However, the Wildcats broke the drought and tacked on another run in the top of the sixth before ultimately icing the game in the seventh with a three-run shot that pushed their advantage to five – the final margin.
O'Neil (10-7) led the Husky defense through six innings and notched six strikeouts while issuing just two walks against 28 Wildcat batters.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Paige Rauch (20-3)
L: Olson, Marybeth (1-2)
Batting:
RBI: Barnett, Sami 1
SH: Casazza, Devon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Marcelino, Briana 1
SB: Marcelino, Briana 1
CS: James, Aziah 1
Batting:
2B: Chloe Smith 1
HR: Angela Giampolo 1 ; Ally Jones 1
RBI: Angela Giampolo 4 ; Ally Jones 1
SH: Dani Dabroski 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Angela Giampolo 1 ; Ally Jones 1 ; Erin Gray 1 ; Chloe Smith 1 ; Dani Dabroski 1
HBP: Megan Kern 1
