University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
34-17
Creighton
29-24
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UConn | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 11 | 0 |
| Creighton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
Huskies Punch Ticket to the 2025 BIG EAST Championship Game
5/9/2025 11:19:00โฏPM | Softball
VILLANOVA, P.a. โย The No. 2 seed UConn softball team defeated the No. 4 seeded Creighton Bluejays in the BIG EAST semifinal, 12-1 in a six inning run rule on Friday evening, advancing the Huskies to the BIG EAST championship game on Saturday, May 10 at 5:00pm. UConn advances to the championship series forย theย for the third time in the last five years.
Payton Kinney made her second consecutive start in the circle at the BIG EAST Tournament for the Huskies, marking her 25thย start of the season.ย Kinneyย was sensational, tossing 4.0 scoreless innings, giving up just one hit, adding three strikeouts. The right hander moves to 14-5 this season.ย
UConn got their offense going early, scratching a run across in the first inning, giving the Huskies a 1-0 lead. UConn loaded the bases for Kaitlyn Breslin who was hit by a pitch, forcing in Grace Jenkins from third base.ย
In the third inning Grace Jenkins doubled the Huskies lead with a solo home run to center field, her 20thย of the season, edging the UConn lead to 2-0.
Inย Jenkins'ย next plate appearance in the fifth inning, the BIG EAST Player of the Year took Creighton's starter deep once again, this time it was a towering two-run shot to right field, her 21stย of the year, extending the Huskies lead to 4-0.ย
The two-run homer fromย Jenkinsย jump started the UConn offense, as the Huskies pushed across three more runs in the fifth inning, putting UConn in the driver's seat with a 7-0 lead.ย
Cat Petteys continued her hot hitting at the plate, homering in her fourth straight game, as the rookie hit a two-run shot to right center field, the 14thย homer of the season for the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year.ย
Later on in the fifth inning, UConn manufactured another run with two outs on back to back base hits. Haley Coupal got it started with a single to left field. Kaitlyn Kibling followed with a double to left center, scoringย Coupalย all the way from first base.ย
Sydnee Koosh came on in relief forย Kinneyย in the fifth inning, making her 26thย appearance this season for the Huskies.ย Kooshย went just 0.2 inning giving up one run on a pair of hits.ย
Creighton scored their lone run of the game in the fifth inning on a bases loaded walk, making it 7-1.
Hope Jenkins came on in relief forย Kooshย in the middle of the fifth inning, making her 31stย appearance of the season for the Huskies.ย Jenkinsย closed out the game in the circle, keeping the Bluejay lineup hitless through her 1.1 innings, adding a strikeout.ย
UConn's offense put up another five spot in the sixth inning, putting the game out of reach for Creighton at 12-1. The Huskies once again loaded up the bases for the middle of the order to do damage.ย Petteysย knocked in her third RBI of the game with sac fly to center field, scoring Grace Jenkins from third base.ย Breslinย followed with a single to left field, scoring Kaiea Higa from second base.ย
Haley Coupal capped off the big inning with a three-run homer off the scoreboard in left field, her second of the season, securing the run rule victory in the BIG EAST semifinals.ย
News and Notes
- Three Huskies had three RBI in Grace Jenkins, Cat Petteys, and Haley Coupal.ย
- Grace Jenkins recorded her third multi-home run game this season and the fourth of her career. She notched her fourth three-hit game this year, and her team leading 18thย multi-RBI game, giving her 67 RBI this season.ย Jenkinsย extended her on-base streak to 29 straight games.ย
- Cat Petteys has hit two home runs through her first two career postseason games.ย Petteysย has homered in her last four straight games, the most by a Husky this season.ย
- Payton Kinney has started in five straight games for the Huskies. She retired 8 straight Bluejay hitters from the first to fourth innings.ย
- Haley Coupal has had back to back multi-hit games to begin her 2025 BIG EAST campaign. This is the fourth multi-RBI game forย Coupalย this season.ย
- Kaitlyn Breslin recorded her 14thย multi-RBI games this season.ย
- Kaiea Higa recorded her 15thย multi-hit game this season.ย
- UConn's offense scored double digit runs for the 14thย time this season.ย
- UConn loaded the bases twice.ย
- UConn advances to the championship series forย theย for the third time in the last five years.
Up Next
UConn advances to the BIG EAST championship game on Saturday, May 10 at 5:00pm. UConn will play the winner of Creighton vs. Providence set to take place before the championship game at 1:30pm.ย
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Players Mentioned
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kinney, Payton (14-5)
L: Kenzie Schopfer (9-7)
Batting:
2B: Kibling , Kaitlyn 1
HR: Jenkins , Grace 2 ; Petteys, Cat 1 ; Coupal, Haley 1
RBI: Jenkins , Grace 3 ; Petteys, Cat 3 ; Breslin, Kaitlyn 2 ; Coupal, Haley 3 ; Kibling , Kaitlyn 1
SF: Petteys, Cat 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hastings, Lexi 1 ; Jenkins , Grace 4 ; Higa, Kaiea 1 ; Snyder, Rayah 1 ; Garcia, Rosie 1 ; Petteys, Cat 1 ; Breslin, Kaitlyn 1 ; Coupal, Haley 2
HBP: Garcia, Rosie 1 ; Breslin, Kaitlyn 1
Batting:
RBI: Lily West 1
SH: Ashten Pierson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Avery Barnard 1
HBP: Ashten Pierson 1 ; Kaelan Schultz 2
