Softball Shuts Out Florida A&M Twice to Close Tallahassee Trip

Florida A&M box game 1 - [pdf] [html]

Florida A&M box game 2 - [pdf] [html]

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (March 12, 2008) - The University of Connecticut softball team closed their week long trip to Tallahassee with a doubleheader sweep of Florida A&M Wednesday. The Huskies swept both games, winning 7-0 in game one, followed by a 8-0 win in five innings in game two. UConn improves to 7-10 overall.

The first game was scoreless through five innings as Connecticut starter Tricia Sullivan (New Bedford, Mass.) got out of a first inning bases loaded jam by inducing Tiffany Chan to ground out. She then allowed only two hits over the next four innings.

The Huskies got on the board in the sixth inning when Sarah Neuschwander (Chugiak, Alaska) tripled home Julie Towers (Goodlettsville, Tenn.). The next batter Melissa Lucas (Methuen, Mass.) also tripled, scoring Towers to make it 2-0. UConn then broke it open with five runs in the seventh on four hits and three walks, culminating in Micah Truax (South Glenn Falls, N.Y.) singling home the final two runs to clinch the 7-0 score.

Sullivan finished with a complete game, allowing only five hits and striking out 11. Towers went 3-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored.

After scoring all seven of their runs in the last two innings of the first game, the Huskies continued the offensive outburst by scoring all eight of their runs in the first three innings of the second game. Neuschwander put Connecticut on the board when she doubled two runs home to make it 2-0 after one. In the second inning, Towers singled home Justyne Roy (North Dighton, Mass.) to make it 3-0.

UConn scored five more runs in the top of the third. The big blow came off the bat of catcher Erin Burtner (Jefferson, Md.) when she hit her first home run of the season that put the Huskies up 7-0. Lucas concluded the scoring with a single that brought in Towers.

Rachael Crossin (Fairless Hills, Pa.) was strong on the mound, allowing only two hits, while striking out six. By keeping the Rattlers off the board, she ended the game after five innings due to the eight-run mercy rule.

Towers concluded her strong day at the plate with the exact same line as the first game, going 3-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored. Neuschwander was 2-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored.

The Huskies will return to action on Thursday, March 20 when they make the short trip to Hamden, Conn. to take on Quinnipiac at 3:30 p.m.