University of Connecticut Athletics
NO. 6 CALIFORNIA DEFEATS UCONN IN NCAA SOFTBALL FIRST ROUND
5/17/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
NO. 6 CALIFORNIA DEFEATS UCONN IN NCAA SOFTBALL FIRST ROUND
May 17, 2001
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - In NCAA softball first round regional action, fifth-seeded Connecticut fell to second-seeded California, 2- 0, Thursday afternoon at the Seminole Softball Complex in Tallahassee, Fla.
The sixth-ranked Golden Bears were able to hold off the Huskies through seven innings of play, behind the combined pitching of Jocelyn Forest and Nicole DiSalvio. Both of Cal's top staffers put in three innings of work apiece and allowed only four hits throughout the game.
Early in the first, UConn saw the most runners on base for the entire contest. Sophomore Nicole Dubovik (Coral Springs, Fla.) outran a bunt to get into scoring position. Things got a little more complicated after when senior designated player Megan Biddle (Bear, Del.) sent a base hit into the circle to Forest, who almost earned an illegal pitch on the play. In the bottom of the same inning, senior shortstop Jessica Yanosy (Milford, Conn.) and senior first base Abbie Link (Chalfont, Pa.) completed UConn's 12th double play of the year.
For Cal, designated player Mikella Pedretti had an RBI single in the bottom of the second, which drove home teammate Courtney Scott for the 1-0 lead. Scott later scored the second and final run of the game in Cal's 4th on a UConn error. The Huskies rallied back in their seventh, but it would not be enough to tie up the score or avoid the shutout.
DiSalvio earned the win in relief to improve to 19-7, while sophomore Barb Cook (Conklin, N.Y.) took the loss to go to 18-11. The nationally- ranked Golden Bears collected their 50th win this season and advanced to competition tomorrow.
Connecticut (35-22) will continue double- elimination play tonight in game four of the regional versus the loser of game one between top-seeded Florida State and sixth-seeded Bethune-Cookman at 8 p.m.
(6) California 2, Connecticut 0 Connecticut
