University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Massachusetts
Huskies Fall 12-0 To No. 21/22 UMass
4/16/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 16, 2010
STORRS, Conn. - The University of Connecticut softball team could manage just two hits as UMass's Sarah Plourde struck out 15 batters en route to a 12-0 loss at the Connecticut Softball Stadium, Friday.
The Huskies drop to 18-20 on the year while the No. 21/22 Minutewomen improve to 27-7.
Huskies pitcher Kiki Saveriano (Lexington, Mass.) found herself in trouble early after the Minutewomen started the game with a lead off triple. Saveriano settled in and set the next batter down on strikes. After a walk to Kyllie Magill, Huskies first baseman Justyne Roy (North Dighton, Mass.) made a heads up throw to the plate on a groundball and Amanda Martin (Rowley, Mass.) applied the tag to keep the Minutewomen off the scoreboard. Saveriano continued to labor through the top of the first as she walked the bases loaded, but she was able to dig deep and struck out Meghan Carta on a 3-2 pitch, her 39th pitch of the inning.
In the bottom of the first, Julianne Towers (Goodlettsville, Tenn.) began things for the Huskies with a slicing double to right centerfield. The Huskies could not advance her any further as Plourde struck out the side, the first three of eight-straight strikeouts to begin the game.
In the top half of the second, after hitting leadoff batter Teea Rogers with a pitch, Saveriano surrendered an RBI double to Jessica Serio. Saveriano once again bounced back and stranded two runners. Through two innings Saveriano had managed three strikeouts while stranding five Minutewomen runners as the Huskies trailed 1-0
The Huskies were unable to get the offense rolling against Plourde. Carta increased the lead to 3-0 for Massachusetts with a two run blast over the centerfield fence in the top of the third. The Minutewomen were not done as they were able to tack on two more runs to hold a 5-0 advantage at the end of the three.
UMass's firstbasemen, Sarah Reeves hit a one out triple to right center field which eventually led to a bases loaded walk to leadoff hitter Carly Normandin to widen UMass's lead to 7-0 after six innings.
Amy DeLuca (Bordentown, N.J.) drilled a two-out pitch up the middle for the Huskies in the bottom of the sixth to began a rally, but the Huskies still could not get anything going. In the top of the seventh, Carta added to the UMass lead by drilling a grand slam to dead center field to bring the lead to 11-0. The Minutewomen added one more run in the top of the seventh to make it 12-0 where it would remain.
The Huskies have a few days off and will look to bounce back at Providence on Wednesday, April 21 in a doubleheader that will begin at 2 p.m.
