University of Connecticut Athletics
Houston Visits for Final Home Weekend of Softball
4/26/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
STORRS, Conn. - Senior Weekend is coming up for the UConn softball team, as it prepares to honor Chelsea Eckert, Ryne Nakama and Emma Stanley while playing host to Houston for a three-game set in American Athletic Conference action at Burrill Family Field.
The Huskies (18-30, 3-12 American) have just three home games remaining this season, as the Cougars visit for the first time since 2016. Senior Day is scheduled for Sunday, as part of the weekend festivities.
Here is the complete schedule for the weekend, as of Thursday afternoon:
Fri., Apr. 27 - Houston - 2 p.m. - | Video
Sat., Apr. 28 - Houston - 2 p.m. - | Video
Sun., Apr. 29 - Houston - 12 p.m. - | Video
UConn enters the weekend with two-straight wins, beating Memphis and Bryant in its most recent contests. The Huskies picked up their first road conference win of the season last Saturday, rolling past the Tigers, 10-0, in five innings.
Freshman infielder Briana Marcelino continues to scorch conference opponents, as she is hitting .304 in league games with team-highs in hits (14), runs (10) and doubles (9). The same can be said for sophomore pitcher Katie Koshes, who has a team-best 2.77 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 43 innings against AAC foes.
The Huskies are 4-7 at Burrill this season, improving in the win column after Wednesday's 4-1 victory over Bryant. Marcelino recorded a two-run homer in the first inning, while junior pitcher Jill Stockley struck-out six in the complete-game win.
Houston leads the all-time series with UConn, 12-1, including a series-sweep last season in Texas. The Cougars also knocked out the Huskies in the first round of the 2017 AAC Tournament in Greenville, N.C.
CELEBRATING THE SENIORS
The three-player senior class of Eckert, Nakama and Stanley is the first group to play all four seasons under head coach Jen McIntyre. In that time, it has accounted for 55 overall wins, including 14 victories in the conference.
Chelsea Eckert, Pitcher
- Accumulated over 300 innings and a 4.39 ERA in her UConn career.
- Three-time selection to the American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team.
- Graduating with a degree in allied health sciences.
Ryne Nakama, Infield/Outfield
- Recorded 41 hits in 166 games at UConn.
- Led UConn with .313 batting average in conference play during junior season.
- Two-time selection to the American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team.
- Graduating with a degree in applied and resource economics.
Emma Stanley, Infield
- Recorded personal-bests this season in at-bats, hits, RBI, total bases and walks.
- Two-time selection to the American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team.
- Graduating with a degree in human development and family studies.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Houston (30-18, 8-7 American) has won each of its last two conference series against Wichita State and Tulsa, while heading into the weekend as winners of three of its last four games. Four players with the NCAA minimum for at-bats per game are hitting over .300 for the Cougars, including Arielle James (.372).
The Cougars' pitching staff has accumulated a 1.83 ERA this season, the best in the American, while ranking second in opposing batting average (.222). Savannah Heebner leads the way, with a 20-8 record and 1.17 ERA in 34 appearances.
FINALS WEEK COMING UP
Next week, UConn gets time off to focus on final exams, before traveling to Tulsa on Thursday for the final weekend set of the regular season in Oklahoma (May 4-6). From there, the Huskies will travel directly to Tampa, Fla. for the American Athletic Conference Tournament, which begins on May 10.
