University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
18-10, 0
Villanova University
18-14, 0
Softball beats Villanova in series opener
3/31/2023 8:11:00 PM | Softball
VILLANOVA, Penn. – The UConn softball team beat the Villanova Wildcats 9-5 on Friday afternoon. The Huskies had a game high fourteen hits, and three home runs in the game. Jana Sanden and Aziah James led the way for the Huskies each finishing with three runs batted in.
Hope Jenkins started in the circle for the Huskies going the distance, pitching her fourth complete game of the season. After giving up five runs through the first three innings, Jenkins settled in limiting Villanova to one hit for the final four innings. She finished with seven strikeouts on the day.
UConn started the game strong going back to back with a pair of homers in the top of the first inning. Sanden hit a two run home run to left center, her fourth homer of the year and first of the game. Rosie Garcia followed Sanden with her second home run of the season extending the Huskies lead to 3-0.
Villanova responded immediately in the bottom of the first with two home runs of their own to tie the game at three. The Wildcats took the lead in the third inning with a two run homer making it 5-3.
UConn took the lead for good in the fourth inning with four runs, all coming from singles. Makenzie Mason led off the inning with a single, one of her three hits on the day. Savannah Ring drove in her 12th run of the season with a single to score Mason. Lexi Hastings followed Ring with a single to score pinch runner Giuliana Abruscato, tying the game at five. James joined the hit party with a two-run single, scoring Ring and Hastings, giving UConn a 7-5 lead.
The Huskies added two insurance runs in the sixth and seventh innings. James drove in her third run of the game with a double to score Hastings making it 8-5 UConn. Sanden tacked onto the lead with a solo home run, her second of the game and fifth of the season making it 9-5 Huskies.
UConn will look to secure the series win tomorrow afternoon at 3:00pm.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jenkins , Hope (8-2)
L: WHITE, Kelsey (5-4)
Batting:
2B: James, Aziah 1
HR: Sanden, Jana 2 ; Garcia, Rosie 1
RBI: Hastings, Lexi 1 ; James, Aziah 3 ; Sanden, Jana 3 ; Garcia, Rosie 1 ; Ring, Savannah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hastings, Lexi 3 ; Sanden, Jana 2 ; Garcia, Rosie 1 ; Mason, Makenzie 1 ; Abruscato, Giuliana 1 ; Ring, Savannah 1
SB: James, Aziah 1
Batting:
2B: ST. JEAN, Lilly 1 ; DABROSKI, Dani 1
HR: CITES, Tess 1 ; JONES, Ally 1 ; HENRY, Ryan 1
RBI: CITES, Tess 1 ; JONES, Ally 2 ; HENRY, Ryan 2
Base Running:
RUNS: CITES, Tess 1 ; SMITH, Chloe 1 ; JONES, Ally 1 ; ST. JEAN, Lilly 1 ; HENRY, Ryan 1
