Spring sports are back in full swing! The UConn softball team opened their season in Orlando, Florida, at the University of Central Florida campus at the Black and Gold Classic.
On opening day on Thursday, the Huskies dropped their first two games of the season at the Black and Gold Classic. In game one, they fell to Howard 8-7 and fell to UCF 9-1 in game two.
In the opening game against Howard, graduate student Meghan O’Neil started in the circle for the Huskies. She went four innings and gave up five runs on seven hits, adding three strikeouts. In the fifth inning, junior Delaney Nagy came in relief for O’Neil. She pitched for two innings and gave up three runs on four hits. Redshirt freshman Sydnee Koosh then came into the game, making her UConn debut. She pitched one scoreless inning for the Huskies to close out the game.
For offense, Howard got off to a quick start in the top half of the first inning to score three runs. UConn got on the board in thebottom half of the first inning. Lexi Hastings scored the Huskies’ first run of the season on a wild pitch, making the score 3-1. In the third inning, the junior outfielder also scored UConn’s second run of the game, getting the Huskies within one run.
In the fourth inning, Howard extended their lead with two runs and one more run in the fifth inning to make the score 6-2 with the Huskies trailing behind. The Huskies scored two runs in the fifth inning. Junior Rosie Garcia notched her first RBI of the season with a bloop single to center field; Hastings made it home. Garcia also brought home the Huskies fourth run of the game on a delayed steal, which allowed pinch-runner freshman Rayah Snyder to score from third base.
Once again, in the sixth inning, Howard responded with two more runs to make it 8-4 with the Bison in the lead. The Huskies did not back down and scored three more runs in the sixth inning. Sophomore Grace Jenkins knocked in two wins with a double to left field, which scored senior Taylor Zatyk and Hastings. Pinch runner freshman Caylee De Meo was also brought home from a single to right field by sophomore Haley Coupal. UConn fell short to Howard and lost 8-7.
Senior Hallie Siems earned her first start as a Husky against UCF in the second opening-day game. She went four innings for UConn and only gave up two hits. In the fifth inning, sophomore Hope Jenkins made her season debut and came in relief for Siems. She pitched for 0.2 innings and gave up four earned runs.
UConn took the lead first off Jana Sanden’s bat. The senior infielder drove on a bloop single to right field in her first run of the season; she scored Hastings, and the Huskies gained a 1-0 lead.
Siems held off the Knights’ dangerous lineup. She only allowed two base runners through her first three innings in the circle. However, UCF gained control of the game in the fourth inning and scored four runs on one hit. UCF applied pressure on offense for the rest of the game. The Knights added a run in the fifth inning and five more runs in the sixth inning. They ended the game in a run-rule win, defeating the Huskies 9-1.
The Huskies were quickly back in action in Orlando on Friday. O’Neil started in game one for UConn against Georgia State. She went 4.1 innings, giving up two runs on four hits with three strikeouts.
For the second game in a row, the Huskies got on the board off Sanden’s bat. She singled off the center field wall, and Hastings was able to score to give UConn a 1-0 lead. Georgia State knotted the game at one in the third inning. The Huskies regained the lead one inning later after Garcia singled to center field. Pinch runner De Meo scored from second base and gave the Huskies the 2-1 lead.
In the fifth inning, transfer Siems came in relief for O’Neil. She pitched the rest of the game for the Huskies, going 2.2 innings; she gave up one run on three hits and added one strikeout.
To recapture the lead in the fifth inning, GSU scored two runs. The Huskies did not back down and put together a rally in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Huskies loaded the bases with the first three batters of the inning. They set the stage for a walk-off victory. G. Jenkins hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring senior Lauren Benson from third base. It started and ended with Sanden. The senior infielder followed G. Jenkins with another sacrifice fly to left field, which scored Hastings for the win. UConn completed the comeback and sealed the 4-2 win, their first victory of the season.
H. Jenkins started game two for the Huskies. She went for five innings, giving up two runs on five hits and adding a pair of strikeouts.
UConn got the offense going in the third inning. Coupal drove in her first season run with an infield single, scoring pinch runner Snyder from third base. Seattle responded the next inning, putting the Redhawks in the lead 2-1.
In the fifth inning, Coupal came in clutch for UConn at the plate, tying the game on an infield single that scored De Meo from third base.
The Huskies made two pitching changes in the sixth inning. Koosh came in relief for Jenkins and only faced four batters. Siems relieved Koosh and finished the game on the mound for the Huskies. She went 1.2 innings, giving up one run on two hits with one strikeout.
Seattle then took the lead in the sixth inning for good by scoring two runs. They added another pair of runs in the seventh inning, gaining all control for the Huskies. UConn did not give up and added one more run in the bottom of the seventh inning off Jenkins’ bat, but the deficit was too much, and Seattle sealed the 6-3 win.
After splitting the second day of opening weekend, the Huskies played a single game on Saturday and Sunday. Siems led the way for the Huskies against UCF on Saturday. She tossed her 18th complete game of her career. She kept the Knights’ lineup off-balanced all night, only giving up four hits with one earned run and adding seven strikeouts.
Hastings made program history in the top of the first inning. She stole the 77th base of her career, which broke the all-time program record that was set by Aziah James a year ago. The junior outfielder surpassed the mark in just her 110th career game for UConn.
In the top of the first inning, the Huskies got off to a quick start on offense, scoring two runs. Sanden, once again, was an offensive machine for the Huskies. She singled to center field to score Hastings and G. Jenkins.
In the second inning, UCF cut the Huskies lead with a solo home run, making the score 2-1 Huskies. UConn immediately put together an answer in the third inning, adding a run back to their lead. G. Jenkins hit her second double of the season to left center. Hastings was able to score from second base.
Siems continued to control the Knights in the middle innings of the game. She threw for four innings straight to maintain the Huskies lead. UCF scored a single run in the seventh inning. However, the Huskies kept their 3-2 lead to seal their second run of the season.
The Huskies had a single game on Sunday where they were defeated and shut out by Seattle. They finished the Black and Gold Classic with a 2-4 overall record. UConn will be back in action next weekend at the North Carolina State Tournament where they will play five games in Raleigh, North Carolina.