East Carolina University
UConn
East Carolina Blanks UConn 2-0 In AAC Series Opener
April 15, 2016 | Softball
STORRS, Conn. - Backed by a shutout performance from its pitching staff, East Carolina recorded a 2-0 victory over UConn Friday afternoon in the teams American Athletic Conference softball series opener at the Burrill Family Field.
ECU (20-24, 2-8 AAC) out-hit the Huskies (14-25, 1-7 AAC) and played a clean game in the field with no errors. Pirate hurlers Lydia Ritchie and Mary Williams also combined to strike out 11 hitters.
Senior shortstop Casey Alcorn recorded a team-high two hits as eight East Carolina batters had a base knock to their credit. A total of four UConn hitters tallied hits while Jacklyn Dubois added a walk to her credit.
Williams (5-11) notched the win in relief, tossing the final 4.2 innings. She scattered two hits and struck out six against two walks. Ritchie fanned five batters in her 2.1 innings of work. Kayla Doty (4-5) was saddled with the loss after giving up two runs on seven hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched.
How it Happened: Both teams were retired in order in a scoreless first inning. Sophomore third baseman Karlie Smith provided the first base runner of the contest in the top of the second with a leadoff single, but she would remain stranded at first. The Huskies threatened in the home half as Pinto stroked a leadoff double to left center. Alyssa Gardea then laid down a one-out bunt single and stole second to put UConn runners in scoring position, but Ritchie struck out the next two batters to keep the game scoreless. The Huskies replicated the situation in the bottom of the third, but Williams worked a 1-3 and KL to send UConn away empty.
ECU was in business to start the top of the fourth as senior catcher Kelsi Briggs reached on an error and Alcorn singled. Smith moved the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, but a fielder's choice play and groundout terminated the threat with no damage done. The Huskies looked to break onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame, but a leadoff walk went by the wayside as Nakama grounded out to end the inning and strand Dubois at third base.
East Carolina plated the first run of the day in the top of the fifth via a Briggs two-out RBI single that plated senior outfielder Meredith Mitchell from second. After Williams kept UConn off of the board in the home half, pinch hitter and junior Kristi Oshiro deposited a single into shallow left field with the bases loaded to extend the Pirate lead to 2-0. ECU had a couple of more opportunities to cash in with the bases juiced, but two looking strikeouts would end the half inning.
After East Carolina was held scoreless in the top of the seventh, the Huskies were unable to muster any offense in the bottom half as the Pirates sealed the shutout.
Bits and Pieces: ECU improved to 3-1 against UConn in the all-time series … The contest was the first ever for East Carolina in Storrs … The Pirates improved to 2-9 in true road games while the Huskies dropped to 3-2 at home … ECU had two leadoff batters reach base as compared to three for UConn … East Carolina won its first AAC series opener of the season in four tries … East Carolina picked up its seventh shutout of the season but the first that was combined.
Up Next: The Pirates and Huskies continue their series Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Burrill Family Field.
