STORRS, Conn. – The UConn softball team fell to the St. John's Red Storm in extra innings, 6-5 on Sunday afternoon at Burrill Family Field. UConn finishes the regular season with a 32-17 record, locking up the No. 2 seed in the BIG EAST Tournament with a 18-6 conference record.
Graduate student Payton Kinney made her 23rd start of the season in the circle for the Huskies in the regular season finale. Kinney went 6.0 innings giving up five runs on just three hits, adding a pair of strikeouts.
The game was a pitcher's duel through the first three innings as St. John's recorded the game's first hit in the third inning.
St. John's opened the scoring in the fourth inning with a grand slam, giving the Red Storm a 4-0 lead.
UConn began to chip away at the Johnnies lead, scoring a run in the bottom half of the fourth inning off the bat of freshman infielder Cat Petteys, as the rookie hit a solo home run to center field, her 12th homer of the season, making it 4-1.
Redshirt-sophomore Sydnee Koosh came on in relief for Kinney in the fifth inning, making her 25thappearance of the season. Koosh went 2.0 innings giving up one run on three hits with a strikeout.
St. John's added a run in the top of the fifth inning, extending the deficit to four runs once again, 5-1.
UConn slashed into the deficit with one swing in the bottom of the sixth inning as senior infielder Rosie Garcia delivered a three-run home run, her fifth of the season, making it a one run ballgame, 5-4.
Kinney re-entered the circle in the middle of the seventh inning, relieving Koosh. Kinney went on to close out the game on the mound for the Huskies.
Junior catcher Grace Jenkins once again came up clutch for the Huskies, delivering a game-tying home run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Down to their final out, Jenkins hit a no doubter to left center for her team leading 19th homer of the season, sending the game to extra innings.
St. John's once again re-captured the lead in the top of the eighth inning, 6-5.
UConn continued to fight, as they loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth inning but could not find a key hit to send the game to a ninth inning.
News and Notes
- Cat Petteys homered in back to back games for the third time this season.
- Grace Jenkins extended her on base streak to 27 straight games.
- Rosie Garcia recorded her 16th multi-hit and 10th multi-RBI games this season.
- Haley Coupal recorded her 8th multi-hit game this season.
- All five of UConn's runs came from homers.
- UConn turned two double plays, giving the Huskies 16 this season.
Up Next
UConn heads to the BIG EAST Tournament next week, hosted by Villanova as the No. 2 seed. The Huskies will play on Thursday, May 8 against the winner of the Villanova vs. Providence opening round game. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00pm.
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