UConn’s softball team has not lost since March 25, a streak they look to grow against Bryant University on Tuesday.
The Huskies are 9-0 at Burrill Family Field in 2026, and a win against the Bulldogs would not only make Connecticut 10-0 at home, but it would also draw them within one game of .500 on the season.
The 20-22 Huskies have surged into second place in the Big East standings, trailing only Providence who will come to Storrs this weekend. For now, the focus is on Bryant.
The Bulldogs are 15-18 on the season but are 9-3 in America East play, including just taking two out of three from number one seeded Binghamton last weekend.
Bryant can produce offense at a decent clip, as they have three qualified batters hitting over .300 this season.
Bryce Clendenin is their best hitter, currently averaging .375 with an OPS of 1.085. The sophomore has 3 home runs and 20 RBIs on the season, she is actively on a six-game hit streak coming into Tuesday’s tilt.
Gabriella Gesualdo is hitting just under .300, but she has also slugged three home runs this year. The latest came on Sunday against Binghamton as her three-run shot broke a 7-7 tie in the fifth.
On the pitching side, Bryant looks to Maddy Wachter and Brooke Tracy to pitch the bulk of the innings. Wachter opened the season with a one run complete game against Providence, unfortunately the Bulldogs could not muster any runs that game. She recently tossed a one-hit shutout over UMass Lowell where she struck out seven batters.
Tracy hit a rough patch in the middle of the season but has been very good to start the season and as of late. She tossed two complete games to start her senior campaign, only allowing one run in each. Tracy also went the distance against Binghamton on Saturday. The Glastonbury, Conn. native has a chance to take the mound in her home state on Tuesday.
This is the first time UConn and Bryant will face off since 2019. They played almost every year from 2009-2019, with UConn taking 13 of the 14 matchups. The Huskies are riding a 12-game series win streak as the only Bryant victory was a 1-0 shutout in 2009. Connecticut averages about 5 runs a game versus the Bulldogs, a trend they hope continues Tuesday.
For UConn, this win streak has been powered by the top of the order and timely pitching. Savannah Ring, Cat Petteys and Kaitlyn Breslin are all hitting over .300 from 2-5 in the order.
Ring is a steady .366 hitter out of the two hole. She has also added four home runs and scored 27 runs in 40 games this season.
Petteys is making a case for being one of the best players in the Big East as she is hitting .380 on the season with 14 home runs and 39 RBIs. The sophomore had a two-home run game against Butler last weekend.
Breslin has 18 extra base hits for the season, including eight home runs. Her 73 total bases on the season are good for second on the team behind Petteys’ miraculous 104 total bases.
Jessica Walter and Caprice Bohmer do the heavy lifting for the UConn pitching staff. Walter has started 12 games on the season and sports and ERA of 3.89. Her best outing of the season came against Villanova where she faced the minimum number of batters in 3 innings of work to earn the save in UConn’s 5-3 win over the Wildcats.
Bohmer has 100 strikeouts in 91 innings pitched this season. Opponents are currently hitting just .246 against her this season and she has allowed only eight home runs in 26 appearances. She has tossed six complete games this season, including games against Akron and DePaul where she struck out 11 hitters apiece.
It is easy for the team to look ahead at the Providence matchup this weekend. If UConn takes two out of three or sweeps the series, they can tie the Friars or take the number one spot in the Big East standings. On Tuesday though, all eyes will be on the Bulldogs.
First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. and fans can tune into UConn+ to see the Huskies in action.