The UConn softball team will play a flurry of five games in Macon, Ga. over the weekend as part of the MUSB Invitational hosted by Mercer University. The invitational will run from Feb. 21-23 and feature four other teams, including Jacksonville, Middle Tennessee, Alabama State and the hosts Mercer.
Connecticut was originally supposed to play in the Rawlings Classic hosted by the University of Virginia, but a scheduling change made on Feb. 18 confirmed their involvement in the MUSB Invitational instead.
The Huskies will arrive in Georgia with two weekends of spring play under their belts. In that time, they have gone 4-4 with all their games played away from home in warmer climates than the cold of the Northeast. Their previous invitational, the JU/UNF Invitational in Florida, did result in some progress, including three wins by a one-run margin. Two of those victories were against Middle Tennessee, who UConn will match up with in the MUSB.
The Connecticut offense has been powerful so far to open the campaign, led by the hitting duo of Lexi Hastings and Grace Jenkins. Hastings, a senior outfielder, leads the team with a .448 batting average from 13 hits in 29 at-bats. The power hitter Jenkins, a junior catcher, adds some pop to the lineup. In 25 at-bats, she has 11 hits and four home runs, resulting in 11 RBIs and an excellent slugging percentage of 1.040. Overall, the team has a batting average of .228 and have recorded 41 RBIs.
The pitchers’ roster is bolstered in the circle by redshirt sophomore Sydnee Koosh and junior Hope Jenkins, who have put together 41.2 innings pitched this season. Koosh has a 3-3 record with a 6.30 earned run average from three starts in six appearances in total. H. Jenkins, the sister of Grace Jenkins, has a 5.82 ERA with a 1-1 record, from three starts in five appearances. Payton Kinney has also been an important presence, making two starts in three appearances. She has not allowed a run so far through six innings pitched, resulting in a sparkling 0.00 ERA.
UConn’s schedule for the MUSB Invitational begins with a matchup against the Jacksonville Dolphins on Friday, Feb. 21 at 1:30 p.m. The Huskies will hope to avenge a loss to Jacksonville in their previous game, a lopsided 1-7 contest. That same day, Connecticut will play Middle Tennessee at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 22 will feature only one game for the Huskies, which will be played versus Alabama State at 5:30 p.m. Finally, UConn will wrap up its part in the invitational with another Alabama State matchup at 9 a.m., followed by a quick turnaround to face Mercer at 11:30 a.m.