University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Set for Five-Game College of Charleston Invitational
3/16/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Live Stats: Game One | Game Two | Game Three | Game Four | Game Five
CHARLESTON, S.C. ââ'¬" The University of Connecticut softball team rounds out regular season tournament action when its travels to Charleston, S.C. to compete in the College of Charleston Invitational on March 17-19. The Huskies will play five games in three days, starting with the tournament host on Thursday at 5 p.m. UConn will face Brown at 11 a.m. and in-state foe Central Connecticut at 1 p.m. on Friday. The Huskies will wrap up their Spring Break with a 10 a.m. matchup against Miami (OH) before a noon tilt with Eastern Michigan on Saturday.
UConn (7-16) opened midweek play with a 4-2 loss against Coastal Carolina on Tuesday despite a complete-game performance from sophomore righty Chelsea Eckert. Junior Kate Sims smashed her first career home run in the top of the seventh as the Huskies tried to rally late. Three different players went 2-for-3, including senior Alyson Ambler who tallied her team-best fifth multiple-hit game while extending her hitting streak to eight games.
This season, the Huskies have played nine games against teams that qualified for the 2015 NCAA Tournament and sports a 3-6 record. In total, Connecticut's schedule includes 14 games against teams that participated in the NCAA Tournament and also features four contests against teams the finished last season ranked in the USA Today/NFCA Top-25.
Thursday's tournament opener will be the second-ever meeting between UConn and Charleston. The inaugural outing occurred in Florida on Feb. 22, 2014, where the Huskies lost 5-0.
The Huskies have a long history with both CCSU and Brown, dating back to the 1975 campaign. UConn owns a 17-4 all-time record against the Bears and last faced off in 2008, where the Huskies notched a 7-3 victory. Connecticut leads the all-time series with the Blue Devils, 57-8. The squads met in Storrs last season when the Huskies fell 3-1.
UConn holds a 2-0 mark against Eastern Michigan and haven't seen the Eagles since the 2010 season. Miami (OH) is the only foe of the weekend that leads the Huskies in the all-time series with a 3-2 advantage. The Redhawks defeated the Huskies, 4-1, back on March 15, 2014.
Seniors Lexi Gifford and Heather Fyfe lead the squad as the only pair hitting over .300. Through 23 games, Gifford has an impressive .303 batting average, while Fyfe tops the team with a .304 average in 13 appearances. Gifford also has a team-high 17 runs and 20 hits.
Fans can keep up with live stats (posted above) or by following @UConnSoftball on Twitter.
