This Tuesday, the UConn softball team (18-12, 7-2) will travel to Brighton, Mass., for some out-of-conference softball action against the Boston College Eagles (15-15, 3-9). The Huskies are fresh off a series victory over Big East rival Creighton and are looking to continue this momentum to defeat this solid Eagles squad.
For the second week in a row, second-year outfielder Kaitlyn Breslin has received Big East Player of the Week honors for her stellar performance in the series against Creighton. Breslin clobbered a total of five home runs, including four in the Huskies’ 22-18 win in the second game of the series. Her four home runs in a single game tied the NCAA record — a feat that only six other players in history have accomplished. She also posts an average of .368 and leads the team in total home runs (10), playing a gargantuan role in her team’s early season success.
Including Breslin, the Huskies’ lineup has a total of six players with a batting average of .300 or higher. Grace Jenkins, who leads the team with a .378 average, has had herself a stellar junior campaign thus far, leading the team in nearly every offensive category while yielding zero errors defensively behind the dish.
Not to mention the Huskies possess one of the best first-year players in the country in infielder Cat Petteys. Petteys collected her second Big East Freshman of the Week award this season for her performances against the Bluejays and has played better than most freshmen. She’s slashing .357/.466/.607 at the plate and showcases a stellar glove in the field. The future is certainly bright for this young UConn softball squad.
Pitcher Payton Kinney has dominated the circle this season, posting a 2.04 ERA and a 6-2 record. Whenever Kinney pitches, it’s really tough for opposing offenses to score runs, as Kinney is virtually unhittable at times.
Though Boston College has struggled in ACC play, senior outfielder Jordan Stephens has been a consistent force at the plate, leading the team in batting average (.326), home runs (6), RBIs (18), runs (18) and total bases (52). Defensively, Stephens has only made two errors thus far, proving to be a reliable presence in the Boston College outfield.
Pitching has been a weak link for the Eagles. In total, their pitching staff holds a team ERA of about 4.28 compared to their opponents’ 3.62. If they keep this up, it’ll be extremely hard for the Eagles to tame an explosive UConn offense.
The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the beautiful Shea Field in Brighton, Mass. This will be an excellent nonconference test for the Huskies as they continue to keep the train rolling and become the winning team in the Northeast.