University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Quinnipiac
Softball Overpowers Quinnipiac 5-2
3/20/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 20, 2009
HAMDEN, Conn. - A five-inning, two-hit effort by junior Tricia Sullivan (New Bedford, Mass.) helped the University of Connecticut softball team to a 5-2 victory over Quinnipiac, Friday. The Huskies (9-8) shut out the Bobcats (3-15) until the seventh inning, but held on for the win.
Sophomore Julianne Towers (Goodlettsville, Tenn.) started things off for the Huskies stroking a leadoff homer over the left centerfield wall to give the Huskies the very early lead. When Towers scores in the first inning, the Huskies are 6-1 on the season with their only loss coming to Kentucky in the Mardi Gras Classic.
UConn added to their lead in the fourth inning. Senior Micah Truax (South Glens Falls, N.Y.) started the inning off for the Huskies with a walk and a stolen base. Truax has not been caught stealing this season, thieving six bases. She advanced to third on a pop up down the right field line by senior Danielle Del Ponte (Tewksbury, Mass.) and scored on an RBI double by freshman Amy DeLuca (Bordentown, N.J.).
Freshman Jen Ward (Waterford, Conn.) came into pinch run for her classmate and for the fourth time this season, scored as a pinch runner to boost the Husky lead to three.
But the Huskies offense would not stop as they added another two runs in the sixth inning. Senior Jillian Ortega (Aberdeen, N.J.) led off the inning with a single to second base and scored just one batter later as Del Ponte tripled down the left field line, only the second triple of her career. Del Ponte's RBI was her team-leading 16th of the season and put her into seventh place on her own on the UConn Career RBI list.
Freshman Ali Adelman (San Diego, Calif.) came in to pinch run for Del Ponte and scored on DeLuca's second double of the game. The run scored was Adelman's first of the season and gave the Huskies a five-run lead.
UConn had a little trouble closing out the game in the seventh inning giving up a couple of runs to the Bobcats, but freshman Jessie Stavola (Montauk, N.Y.) came in and shut down Quinnipiac to earn her first collegiate save.
The Huskies will be back in action this Sunday, March 22 at Seton Hall in their second BIG EAST doubleheader of the season with game one beginning at Noon.
-UCONN-
