University of Connecticut Athletics
Softball Splits Doubleheader Against Seton Hall
4/22/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Seton Hall 7, UConn 9 [], []
Seton Hall 11, UConn 6 [], []
STORRS, Conn. (April 22, 2006) - Freshman Micah Truax (South Glens Falls, N.Y.) went 5-for-9, including the walk-off two run home run that won the first game, as the University of Connecticut softball team split a doubleheader against Seton Hall at the Connecticut Softball Stadium on Saturday. UConn took the first game, 9-7, on Truax's homerun in the bottom of the eighth inning, but fell in the second game, 11-6, to close out the day.
UConn is now 18-22 overall and 5-9 against BIG EAST competition while Seton Hall improves to 28-22 overall and 6-10 in the conference.
In the first game of the day, Seton Hall scored first, picking up one run in the top of the second inning. The score remained at 1-0 in favor of the Pirates until the Huskies picked up six runs in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead.
A single by freshman Meghan Tierney (Salem, Conn.) got the UConn rally started in the inning. Another single, this time by Truax, followed before freshman Jillian Ortega (Aberdeen, N.J.) homered to bring all three around to score. With two outs, freshman Danielle Del Ponte (Tewksbury, Mass.) doubled to left field and came around to score when senior Erica Pernell (Plainville, Conn.) doubled to center field following her in the lineup. Fellow senior Kim Castner (Forked River, N.J.) also doubled, driving in Pernell and then scored herself on a single by freshman Sarah Neuschwander (Chugiak, Alaska) to wrap up the scoring for the inning.
However, the Pirates answered in the top of the sixth, tying the score with five runs in the half-inning. Seton Hall then went ahead with one run in the top of the seventh. Junior Jessica Quan (Stockton, Calif.) tied the score for UConn in the bottom of the seventh after a double followed by two throwing errors on the Pirates brought her around to score.
After Seton Hall did not score in the top of the eighth, Tierney opened with an infield single before Truax drove a pitch over the left field fence to give UConn the victory.
Sophomore Ashley Thody (Middletown, Conn.) picked up the win in the circle for UConn, going 2.1 innings and giving up two hits and one run. Junior Krista Michalczyk (Salem, N.H.) started the game for UConn, going five innings and scattering five hits while striking out two. Freshman Rachael Crossin (Fairless Hills, Pa.) worked two-thirds of an inning of relief as well.
The Pirates started out the second game by picking up two runs in the top of the first. UConn answered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the inning when a single by Del Ponte drove in both Truax and Ortega.
Two more runs came Seton Hall's way in the top of the second and the Pirates held the 4-2 lead before UConn took the 5-4 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Sophomore Christine Keeton (Spokane, Wash.) walked to open the inning and came around to score on another homerun by Truax. Freshman Erin Burtner (Jefferson, Md.) also scored on the home run.
However, Seton Hall scored three runs in the top of the fifth, two in the sixth and two more in the seventh to take the 11-5 lead. In the home half of the seventh, Ortega opened with a double and stole third before coming around to score on a single by Del Ponte.
In the circle for the Huskies in game two, Michalczyk took the loss after pitching 4.1 innings of relief. She gave up six hits and struck out one for the Huskies. Senior Michelle Caouette (Wyantskill, N.Y.) started the game and gave up four runs in 1.1 inning of work while Crossin gave up two hits in the final inning for UConn.
The Huskies will be in action on Sunday, April 23 when they host St. John's at 12:00 p.m. The Hartford Courant careerbuilder.com Senior Salute will take place prior to the first game of the doubleheader.
