The weather is heating up, and so is the UConn softball team (22-10, 9-3), currently on a five-game winning streak. The Huskies will host St. John’s University (14-17, 4-5) this weekend in a three-game series.
Unlike Connecticut, there’s nothing on fire in Queens, with the Red Storm getting swept at Seton Hall University last weekend. They are coming off a 5-2 victory over Iona University on Wednesday, with some help from a two-run home run by sophomore Anese Thompson, who has reached base in nine consecutive games with a .579 batting average during the streak. London Jarrard, another sophomore, is one of the best players in the country, ranking third in the nation with 14 doubles so far this season.
UConn has been dominant on both offense and defense already this week. They picked up a 13-1 blowout victory over Fairfield University on Tuesday, with five Huskies batting in multiple runs. Their pitching has been strong, allowing just seven runs in two games this week and one run overall. On Wednesday, Connecticut shut out UMass, the fifth of the season.
Three Huskies received Big East honors this week. After a stellar performance, including two home runs and five runs batted in, junior infielder Jana Sanden went 6-for-14 last week and was named the Big East Player of the Week. Sophomore outfielder Lexi Hastings and junior pitcher Payton Kinney were named to the weekly Big East Honor Roll.
Freshman Hope Jenkins earned her ninth win of the season against the Stags and could be the first UConn pitcher to reach 10 wins this season.
It is hard to find a bigger impact on offense than outfielder and graduate student Aziah James , who drove in runs in both games, including a bases-clearing double with the bases loaded in the bottom of the second inning against Fairfield.
It has been all UConn in the matchup’s history. The Huskies lead the series 63-18 and swept them last season 3-0.
With Connecticut hot and first-place Butler University losing their past two games, this series could be an opportunity for UConn to make a push for first place in the conference, which they are currently two games behind.
All three games in the series will take place at Burrill Family Field in Storrs, Connecticut. The first game is tonight at 6 p.m. The second game will be tomorrow at 1 p.m., and the last game is on Easter Sunday at 11 a.m. All three games will be available to stream on UConn+.
Once this series ends, the Huskies pick up again on Tuesday at Boston College.
