OMAHA, Neb. – The UConn softball team won a back and forth thriller in game two, beating the Creighton Bluejays, 22-18. UConn's 22 runs were a season high and the second most runs the Huskies have scored in a game in program history. The 40 combined runs were the most in any UConn game in program history and is the highest scoring game in the country this season.
Game Two
Sophomore outfielder Kaitlyn Breslin had a career day, hitting four home runs in the game, tying a NCAA single game record. Breslin now has a team high ten home runs this season, and becomes just the fifth player in program history to reach the double digit home run mark in a season.
Redshirt-sophomore Sydnee Koosh made her 11th start of the season in the circle in game two. Koosh went 3.0 innings giving up 11 earned runs on 10 hits.
UConn's offense exploded in the top of the first inning, scoring a team high nine runs on five hits, sending 13 batters to the plate in the inning. Junior catcher Grace Jenkins opened the scoring for the Huskies with a single to right field, scoring Lexi Hastings from third base. A few batters later, Breslin worked a bases loaded walk, forcing Jenkins to score from third base. Junior infielder Savannah Ring delivered her first career grand slam, her first homer of the season, breaking the game open at 6-0. Later in the inning, Grace Jenkins hit a three-run homer, her ninth of the season, capping off the Huskies big inning.
Creighton scored three runs in the bottom of the first, making it a 9-3 ballgame.
Breslin added to the Huskies lead in the second inning with a solo home run, her first of the game and seventh of the season, giving UConn a 10-3 lead.
Creighton continued to chip away at the Huskies lead, scoring four runs in the second, making it 10-7.
UConn responded in the third with three more runs, extending their lead to 13-7. Grace Jenkins drove in her fifth run of the game with a ground out to shortstop, scoring Hastings from third base. Breslin once again came up clutch with a big hit for the Huskies, hitting her second home run of the game, a no doubt two-run shot to left field.
Creighton came right back in the bottom half of the third, scoring four runs coming on one swing, a grand slam to make it 13-11.
UConn scored two more runs in the fourth inning off back to back two-out doubles from Hastings and Grace Jenkins, giving the Huskies a 15-11 lead.
Creighton tacked on a run in the bottom half of the fourth off a solo homer, making it 15-12.
Freshman Stella Kiemele came on in relief for Koosh in the middle of the fourth inning, making her ninth appearance of the season for the Huskies. Kiemele went 2.0 innings giving up six runs on six hits, picking up her second win of the season.
UConn's offense put up a four spot in the fifth inning, extending their lead to 19-12. Cat Petteys and Breslinhit back to back home runs. For Petteys it was her second homer of the day and fifth this season. For Breslin, it was her third homer of the game and fourth of the day. Later in the inning, Grace Jenkins drove in two more runs with a single to center field, giving the junior a career high seven RBI in the game.
Creighton clawed right back into the game, scoring six runs in the bottom of the fifth, making it a one run ballgame, 19-18.
Breslin made NCAA history in the sixth inning, hitting her fourth home run of the game, a feat accomplished only by a handful of players in NCAA softball history. For Breslin, she now has homers in three consecutive games and six across a three game stretch, giving her a team high ten homers this season.
The game was paused with two outs in the top of the sixth inning due to darkness with UConn leading 21-18.
16 hours later at 2:00pm EST, the game resumed where last left off in the sixth inning.
Graduate student Payton Kinney came on in relief for Kiemele in the sixth inning, making her 17thappearance of the season for the Huskies. Kinney closed out the win in the circle, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings, only giving up one hit with a pair of strikeouts.
Junior infielder Kaiea Higa added an insurance run in the seventh inning, with a single to left field, scoring Grace Jenkins from second base.
News and Notes
- Kaitlyn Breslin tied an NCAA record hitting four home runs in a single game. Only six other players in NCAA Division I history have reached the single game milestone. She now has homers in three consecutive games and six across a three game stretch, giving her a team high ten this season. She finished with a career high seven RBI in the game.
- Grace Jenkins had a career high seven RBI, just four shy of tying the NCAA single game record. She tallied her second four-hit game and her team leading tenth multi-RBI game this season.
- UConn scored 22 runs, the second most in program history. The last time the Huskies scored 22 runs was in 1977 against Brown (22-14).
- The 40 combined runs were the most in any UConn game in program history and is the highest scoring game in the country this season.
- UConn recorded team game highs in bats (40), runs scored (22), hits (18), RBI (21), home runs (7), total bases (43), walks (9),
- Lexi Hastings recorded her second three-hit game in her last three games, giving her three this season.
- The Huskies plated a season high nine runs in the first inning, topping their season high set just two games prior (8 vs. Seton Hall, March 23).
- Kaiea Higa records her fifth straight multi-hit game, giving her ten this season.
- Savannah Ring hit her first career grand slam.
- Cat Petteys homered in back to back games for the first time in her career.
- All nine Husky starters logged hits.
Follow our social media pages for updates.
Twitter – UConnSoftball
Instagram – UConnSoftball
Facebook – UConn Softball
Latest Top News
- HookC Defeats Quinnipiac at ElliotSTORRS, Conn. - The UConn baseball team (12-15) racked up 16 hits and had 10 stolen bases in a 9-3 victory against Quinnipiac (13-13-1) on Tuesday afternoon at Elliot Ballpark.
- Women's Final Four Student Watch Party in Gampel This FridaySTORRS, Conn. - The UConn women's basketball program has once again secured a spot in the Final Four. UConn students are invited to Gampel Pavilion on Friday, April 4th watch the Huskies compete against the UCLA Bruins for a spot in the National Championship game.
- Josh Mooney Named BIG EAST Men's Field Athlete of the WeekSTORRS, Conn.- Josh Mooney has been named the BIG East Men's Field Athlete of the week, the conference announced on Tuesday afternoon.
- Callum Tung Signs Deal Pro Deal with New York RangersSTORRS, Conn. - Freshman goaltender Callum Tung (Port Moody, British Columbia) of the UConn men's hockey team has signed a three-year entry level contract with the National Hockey League's (NHL) New York Rangers.
- Softball Standout Kaitlyn Breslin Receives National RecognitionSTORRS, Conn. – UConn standout sophomore outfielder Kaitlyn Breslin has been recognized by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and D1 Softball as the national Player of the Week. She was also named to the Softball America Stars of the Week. Breslin becomes the first player in program history to receive these prestigious awards.
- Huskies Advance to 24th Final FourPaige Bueckers and her UConn teammates didn't cut down the net after securing a trip to the Final Four, even though a ladder was set up and ready to go.
