University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
36-15, 0
Villanova University
28-22, 0
Softball Blanks Villanova, 3-0
5/7/2022 5:59:00 PM | Softball
STORRS, Conn. – Coming off clinching its first BIG EAST regular season title in 25 seasons, the UConn softball team earned a 3-0 over Villanova in the second game of the series Saturday afternoon at Burrill Family Field.
With the win, UConn clinched its eighth series against a BIG EAST opponent, effectively winning every series possible in conference play.
Meghan O'Neil tossed a complete game in the circle, striking out 12-of-29 batters faced. Jana Sanden drove in a pair of runs in the fourth inning before Olivia Sappington added an insurance run in the sixth.
Villanova threatened from the start, loading the bases with one away in the first. O'Neil shut the Wildcats down, striking out the rest of the side to prevent any damage. The junior continued to dominate on the mound, striking out four batters over the next three innings as the game remained scoreless.
Brianna Marcelino led off the bottom half of the fourth slashing a single through the left side, and Reese Guevarra was hit by a pitch to put two Huskies aboard with no outs. From there, Sanden struck a bases-clearing double to right center as UConn pulled ahead, 2-0.
With one down in the sixth inning, Lexi Hastings slapped a drive just within the right field line and wheeled around the bases for a stand-up triple. Sappington followed with another drive to the right side to plate Hastings as the Huskies went ahead by three.
The Wildcats put two aboard with two outs, but O'Neil fielded her position for the final out as UConn completed its fifth straight game of errorless play.
The Huskies will wrap-up the regular season and honor its class of 2022 as it clashes against the Wildcats tomorrow at noon.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: O'Neil, Meghan (12-6)
L: Sara Kennedy (6-7)
Batting:
2B: Chloe Smith 1 ; Megan Kern 1 ; Angela Giampolo 1
Batting:
2B: Sanden, Jana 1
3B: Hastings, Lexi 1
RBI: Sanden, Jana 2 ; Sappington, Olivia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Marcelino, Briana 1 ; Guevarra, Reese 1 ; Hastings, Lexi 1
HBP: Guevarra, Reese 1
