The Massachusetts softball team lost to a streaking Connecticut team that has won eight of its previous 10 games. The Minutewomen (10-21, 3-5 A-10) have been on the opposite end of the spectrum, losing four games in a row.
The Huskies (21-13, 10-2 Big East) got off to a dominant start, freshman pitcher Elise Sokolsky retired the UMass bats in order through the first three innings. The Minutewomen would end with three total baserunners, coming from a hit, a walk, and a hit by pitch.
“We only had one hit, [we] didn’t play well,” head coach Danielle Henderson said. “I don’t think it’s just one thing that we have to work on, it’s everything. We have to find a way to come together.”
The UConn offense hit its stride early, with seven of its eventual 15 runs coming in the second inning. The climax of the inning came when left fielder Lexi Hastings hit a bases clearing double to score three. Hastings finished with seven RBIs, hitting a fifth-inning grand slam putting the Huskies’ run total at 15.
Miscommunications and misplays extended these big innings, along with the hustle of UConn. In the second, a bouncing ball hit to UMass pitcher Julianne Bolton looked like a sure out at first, but Bolton threw to second and both runners were safe. Another one of these miscues came when a ground ball to the shortstop and the ensuing throw to first resulted in a Huskies runner scoring from second.
It was complete domination by UConn, who took the lead and never looked back. They chipped in two more runs in both the third and fourth, before the previously mentioned grand slam blew the game wide open.
“UConn has some hitters that are really talented,” Henderson said. “I think we’re just as talented, but we haven’t really been able to show it yet.”
Walks were also a problem for the Minutewomen, walking six batters over the five inning game. Four of these six baserunners came across to score. Walks were something that UMass were improving on, with it walking an average of 2.3 batters over its previous three games.
After committing seven errors in their past series, the Minutewomen committed two in Wednesday’s game. A dropped fly ball in center field in the third inning eventually turned what would have been out number three into a sacrifice fly that would score the eighth run of the game for the Huskies.
The normally disciplined UMass bats were anything but today, striking out 10 times. In their past series against Fordham, the Minutewomen struck out 20 times in 19 innings, a stark contrast from their performance on Wednesday.
Sokolsky came into this game with an ERA of 2.74, and the Huskies starting pitcher was coming off a game in which she pitched a two-hit complete game shutout against Butler. Bolton, UMass’ starting pitcher, had a similar performance to her last outing against Fordham. On Wednesday, Bolton went three innings while allowing nine runs, eight of them earned.
UMass looks to rebound and snap its losing streak in a weekend series against George Mason in Fairfax, VA. This series also provides a chance for the Minutewomen to break their losing streak in A-10 play, having lost their previous four. First pitch is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m.
Johnny Depin can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @jdepin101.
