University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Georgia
Huskies Split Opening Day At Georgia Classic
2/17/2012 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 17, 2012
ATHENS, Ga. - The University of Connecticut softball squad opened the 2012 season at the Georgia Classic on Friday afternoon splitting the two games to sit at a 1-1 mark. The Huskies were victorious over Western Illinois (2-4), 4-2, before falling to the hosting No. 14 Bulldogs (5-1), 8-1.
In Connecticut's first game, Western Illinois jumped on top first, scoring on a Husky error to take a 1-0 lead. Despite outhitting the Huskies, 9-7, the Leatherneck advantage was short lived as UConn put three on the scoreboard and never relinquished the lead.
UConn's top returning hitter and third baseman Kim Silva (Cheshire, Conn.) opened up the 2012 campaign for the Huskies with a triple to right field as she scored the first run of the season on a Leatherneck error.
The Huskies went up 3-1 in the bottom of the first inning on three hits and two errors. Senior outfielder Jen Ward (Waterford, Conn.) added the final run of the game in the bottom of the fifth off a RBI single by sophomore catcher Andrea Huelsenbeck (Rockaway, N.J.).
Junior hurler Kiki Saveriano (Lexington, Mass.) proved why she was one of UConn's top returners pitching seven innings against Western Illinois allowing nine hits and only one earned run.
Saveriano (1-0) bailed the Huskies out of several close calls as Western Illinois stranded 11 runners on base, including bases loaded in the top of the fourth and seventh inning allowing UConn to walk away with a 4-2 victory.
In the second game of the day, Connecticut fell to No. 14 Georgia 8-1 after struggling offensively and notching only two hits. The lone Husky run came from senior outfielder Amy Vaughan (Somerset, Mass.) who hit her seventh career homerun over the centerfield wall.
The Bulldogs capitalized on their six hits and UConn's two errors to hold the lead after being tied 1-1 heading into the bottom of the second. Senior thrower Ali Adelman (San Diego, Calif.) had difficulty against Georgia's firepower allowing six runs in 3.2 innings.
Adelman, given the loss to move to 0-1, was replaced by sophomore Katelyn Callahan (Queensbury, N.Y.) in the fourth inning. Georgia's success continued as they added two runs to end the game with an 8-1 win.
The Huskies will return to action on Saturday, Feb. 18 at the Georgia Classic taking on Tennessee Tech at 5 p.m. and Winthrop at 7 p.m.
