The Huskies are hot.
This past weekend, the UConn softball team (18-12, 7-2) traveled westward for some Big East action against the Creighton Bluejays (12-18, 2-7) in a three-game series. After narrowly dropping game one, the team would go on to win the final two contests, snatching the series victory. It would be the Huskies’ offensive firepower, once again, that proved to be the catalyst for their success.
Going into the bottom of the seventh inning of the first game of the series, the Huskies looked to be in the clear for their first victory of the weekend. Cat Petteys and Kaitlyn Breslin combined for five total RBIs from the likes of the long ball, giving the Huskies a firm 6-0 lead with three outs left to play.
However, what happened next was pure disaster.
Kaelan Schultz’s solo shot finally wiped the zero off the board for Creighton, followed by an Ella Dalton two-RBI single to cut their deficit to three. Another run would score on a wild pitch, and soon after, catcher Lily West clobbered a double to left field to knot the score up at 6-6. The Huskies’ ace Payton Kinney rendered the last out by way of fielder’s choice, sending the game into extra innings.
A scoreless top of the eighth brought up the Bluejays’ bats once again. With one out, star outfielder Sydra Seville solidified her case as one of the best players in America, driving in counterpart Avery Barnard to win the game 7-6 in walk-off fashion.
The next game, to the many UConn softball faithful, was utterly mind-boggling.
The Huskies would win by a score of 22-18, a score like that of a football game. What’s more impressive? Well, Kaitlyn Breslin is your answer.
The sixth-semester outfielder left the yard a total of four times over the span of the first, second, third and fifth innings. Breslin tied the NCAA record for the most home runs in a single game, being one of only seven players all time to do so. This boosted her series home run total to five — a truly incredible feat, to say the least.
Breslin wasn’t the only person to put a ball into orbit in this game. Petteys, Grace Jenkins and Savannah Ring all had home runs for the Hook C. As for the ’Jays, Seville, Barnard and Schultz all contributed with one home run apiece while Sydney Potter added two herself. However, 18 runs just wasn’t enough to edge the fiery Huskies.
In the final game, the Huskies dominated from start to finish in every facet of the game.
After the Huskies’ pitching staff allowed 25 runs over the course of the first two games, Payton Kinney took matters into her own hands for the series finale, pitching five innings of scoreless ball, surrendering four hits and only two walks.
Kinney got all the support she needed from her teammates as well.
The Huskies took advantage of a walk and a Creighton error to score the first two runs of the game. In the following inning, Kaiea Higa laced a two-RBI triple to deep center field, scoring Grace Jenkins and Kaitlyn Kibling. A Breslin sac fly would bring Higa home, giving the Huskies a 5-0 lead after two innings of play.
Higa came through once again in the fourth, this time by belting a two-run home run to left field. Higa’s heroics were followed by a Savannah Ring RBI single, stretching the score to 8-0. That was all the Huskies needed, mercy-ruling Creighton in just five innings. The win would improve their conference record to 7-2, sitting in second place behind St. John’s.
The Huskies are back in action on Tuesday for a midweek out-of-conference clash against longtime rival Boston College. The game will be on the beautiful Brighton Field in Chestnut Hill, Mass. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.