CHICAGO, Ill. – The UConn softball team rallied for a come from behind victory in extra innings over the DePaul Blue Demons on Saturday afternoon at Cacciatore Stadium. Down 5-0, the Huskies came back to defeat the Blue Demons, earning their second BIG EAST series sweep this season. UConn moves to 14-4 in BIG EAST play and 28-14 overall this season.
Graduate student Payton Kinney made her 18th start of the season in the circle for the Huskies. Kinney went 4.2 innings giving up four earned runs on six hits, adding three strikeouts.
The UConn offense was shut down through the first three innings, being held scoreless by DePaul's starting pitcher, Bella Nigey.
DePaul jumped out to an early lead, scoring four runs in the first inning.
Junior Hope Jenkins came on in relief for Kinney in the middle of the second inning with the bases loaded and zero outs. Jenkins was able to limit the damage to just one run in the inning, picking up three straight outs. The California native gave UConn 3.1 key innings, in the circle, keeping the Huskies within striking distance. Jenkins finished her outing with two earned runs on just three hits with a pair of strikeouts.
UConn began to chip away at the 5-0 DePaul lead, scoring two runs on a pair of hits in the fourth inning. Sophomore outfielder Kaitlyn Breslin got the Huskies on the board with a double to left center field, scoring Cat Petteys all the way from first base. Breslin was able to advance to third base on the throw to home, allowing Hope Jenkins to bring her home with a sac fly to center field, making it 5-2.
UConn kept on chipping away at the DePaul lead, scoring another pair of runs in the fifth inning, pulling the Huskies to within a run. A leadoff double from junior outfielder Kaitlyn Kibling set the table in the inning for the Huskies. Senior outfielder Lexi Hastings scored Kibling on an infield single, pulling the Huskies to within two. Later in the inning, freshman infielder Cat Petteys doubled to left center field, scoring Hastings from second base.
DePaul responded in the bottom of the fifth, scoring two runs to extend their lead to 7-4.
Kinney re-entered the circle for the Huskies in the middle of the fifth. Kinney finished the game on the mound, locking down key outs in the late innings.
Junior catcher Grace Jenkins changed the game with one swing, delivering a game-tying three-run home run in the sixth inning, her 16th of the season, making it a 7-7 ballgame.
DePaul regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning with a run, making it 8-7.
UConn fought right back, tying the game up in the seventh inning on a sac fly from freshman catcher Heidi Barber, scoring pinch runner Rayah Snyder from third base, sending the game to extra innings at 8-8.
Petteys once again delivered a big hit for the Huskies with a solo home run to center field, the tenth homer in her freshman campaign, giving UConn the lead for good, 9-8.
Later in the inning, junior infielder Haley Coupal added an insurance run for the Huskies with an RBI groundout, scoring Breslin from third base, making it 10-8 in favor of the Huskies.
News and Notes
- Cat Petteys hit her 10th home run of the season, the most a freshman has hit in program history. Petteys recorded her 5th three-hit game of the year, giving her 14 multi-hit games this season.
- Grace Jenkins extended her hitting streak to ten straight games, hitting her team-leading 16th home run of the season. Jenkins added three more RBI to her season total, giving her 58 on the year. She now has 15 multi-RBI games this season and has reached base safely in 20 straight games.
- Kaitlyn Breslin had a pair of hits, recording her 15th multi-hit game this season. Breslin has an RBI in her last six straight games, totaling 12 RBI in that span. She has reached base safely in nine straight games.
- Hope Jenkins extended her hitting streak to seven straight games, hitting ribbies in back to back games.
- UConn hit double digits in the run column for the third straight game. The Huskies scored 10+ runs in five out of their last six games, totaling ten double digit run games this season.
- UConn left ten runners on base.
Up Next
UConn returns to action on Friday, April 25 as the Huskies welcome the Georgetown Hoyas to Storrs for a three-game series. Tickets are available at UConnTickets.com.
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