The UConn softball team got swept this weekend on their road trip to Texas, dropping three straight to Houston. (Eric Wang/The Daily Campus)
The UConn softball team got swept this weekend on their road trip to Texas, dropping three straight to Houston while only scoring two runs in the process.
Their weekend started off just about as bad as possible, as the Cougars put nine runs on the board through the first two innings while holding the Huskies scoreless through five to complete the mercy.
Houston jumped all over starter Marybeth Olson in the first, and after back-to-back-to-back singles they were up 2-0. Olson then almost stopped the bleeding but after retiring the next two batters gave up a two-run home run to the Cougars’ leading home run hitter.
Olson came back out for the second but after giving up a leadoff triple to start the inning followed by a single to drive her in, she was pulled for Katie Koshes. Olson would finish the game with a line of six earned runs on seven hits over one inning pitched.
Koshes gave up three more runs in the second before holding Houston scoreless through the final two frames. The Huskies on the other hand would record just two hits throughout the five innings of play, a Olivia Sappington single in the second and another from Briana Marcelino in the fourth.
Koshes was back on the mound Saturday and pitched well, only allowing three earned runs through six innings of work. She did allow nine hits and walked four batters but was able to work herself out of multiple jams to keep the game close, stranding nine baserunners throughout the course of the game.
However, just like Friday, the bats really struggled. Kiwi McDaniel doubled in leadoff hitter Reese Guevarra in the first to give the Huskies an early 1-0 lead. UConn would be held scoreless through the next six innings and, despite a late rally in the seventh where they had the tying run on first, lost 3-1.
Olson was back on the mound for the series finale and pitched much better than her first appearance of the weekend. She held the Cougars hitless through three and scoreless through four, but once the fifth inning hit, so did Houston. After another sequence of back-to-back-to-back singles, Olson was pulled for Koshes once again. She managed to stem most of the bleeding, only allowing one of the inherited to cross the plate before getting the necessary two outs to finish the inning.
The Huskies’ six hits were more than their previous two games combined, but they once again only had one runner cross the plate and ultimately fell 2-1.
UConn now drops to 15-24 for the season and 4-8 in conference. They begin a six-game homestand with Central Connecticut State Tuesday, South Florida for a three-game series over the weekend and a doubleheader vs. Hofstra the following Tuesday.
Jorge Eckardt is a staff writer for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at jorge.eckardt@uconn.edu.
