Softball Travels To Connecticut For Doubleheader On Thursday
University of Connecticut (11-12)
Thursday, March 31, 2011 - 3:00 p.m. (DH)
Burrill Family Field - Storrs, Conn.
Thursday
Doubleheader
The Quinnipiac University softball team (15-13) travels to
play a doubleheader at the University of Connecticut (11-12, 1-1
Big East) on Thursday, March 31 starting at 3:00 p.m. The Bobcats
went 2-2 over the weekend, after falling to Harvard University, 8-0
and 7-4, and sweeping Manhattan College, 5-2 and 10-9. The Huskies
will play Boston University on Wednesday, March 30 prior to hosting
the Bobcats on Thursday.
Follow Your Bobcats Live
Live stats for Thursday's games will be available by clicking on
the appropriate links on the official website of Quinnipiac
Athletics, www.QuinnipiacBobcats.com.
All-Time Against The Huskies
Connecticut leads the all-time series with Quinnipiac,
14-3. Last year, the Bobcats split two games against the Huskies.
Quinnipiac won, 1-0, in its 2010 home-opener on March 17, while
falling, 8-3, at UConn later in the season.
The Huskies are currently 11-12 on the year and are 1-1 in the Big East. In its most recent outings, Connecticut split two games at Georgetown on March 26. The Huskies lost, 5-3, in the first match-up and won, 14-6, in game two on Saturday. Connecticut recently went 1-3 at the Hofstra Tournament on March 19-20, where the Huskies fell to Hofstra twice and split with Columbia. Prior to the Pride's tournament, UConn participated at the USF Under Armour Tournament, where the Huskies picked up four wins and two losses. Connecticut's Julianne Towers leads the Huskies in hits (27), runs (17) and RBI (19) and with a .375 batting average. The senior second baseman has also hit four homeruns, 10 doubles and two triples this year. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Kiki Saveriano has started in all 15 games for the Huskies this season, posting a 6-8 record. Saveriano leads the team with a 3.31 ERA and has struck out 76 batters across 80.1 innings.
Last Time Out
On Sunday, March 27, the Bobcats swept Manhattan College in a doubleheader. Quinnipiac won, 5-2, in the first contest, and, 10-9, in an eight-inning game later in the day. Freshman Jordan Paolucci led the Bobcats with two three-run homers, three runs scored and six RBI, while sophomore infielder Alex Alba went 3-8 with two runs scored and one RBI. In addition, junior catcher Ashley Heiberger and senior captain Joelle Jacobsen each their first homerun of the season against the Jaspers. Heather Schwartzburg took the win as she struck out 11 batters across seven innings.
Extra Innings
In Quinnipiac's second outing against Manhattan, the game was forced into extra innings for the fifth time this season. After the Bobcats took a 9-2 lead in the bottom of the third, the Jaspers were able to come back and tie Quinnipiac in the seventh inning. The Bobcats' Alex Murray led off the eighth with a single to right field. After, Murray advanced to third on a single by Jessica Amenda. Murray went on to score on a Christy Cabrera single for the win. Freshman Emily O'Keefe won her third game of the season, striking out one of three batters in the eighth.
Harvard Happenings
The Bobcats lost two games to the Harvard Crimson on Saturday, March 26. Quinnipiac was shut out, 8-0, in the first contest while being held to one hit by Jacqueline Ristow. In the next contest, Quinnipiac fell, 5-2, as third baseman Bridget Figmic led the Bobcats with two hits on three at bats, a run scored and two RBI.
Power At The Plate
Freshman Jordan Paolucci led Quinnipiac this weekend as she went 5-7 with two three-run homers. Paolucci currently leads the Bobcats with four homeruns on the year and in both slugging percentage (.516) and on base percentage (.471).
O Captain, My Captain
Senior first baseman Joelle Jacobsen hit her second career homerun as the Bobcats defeated Manhattan, 10-9, on Sunday. The two-run homer was Jacobsen's first homer of the season. She's contributed 11 hits and 10 runs scored, while driving in eight runs this year.
Catching Fire
Junior catcher Ashley Heiberger hit her first homerun of 2011 as she drove in two runs for Quinnipiac in its 5-2 win over the Jaspers. Heiberger has also hit two doubles and one triple this year, while contributing 11 hits overall. She's scored 11 runs and picked up five RBI this season.
Confidence In The Circle
Junior Heather Schwartzburg leads the Bobcats with a 1.72 ERA, while holding opponents to a .192 batting average. The right-handed pitcher has picked up eight wins this season while starting 13-of-17 games for Quinnipiac. She's pitched 101.2 innings and struck out 137 batters on the year.
Leading Ladies
Jacqueline Ristow currently leads Quinnipiac with a .303 batting average and 27 hits. Jordan Paolucci leads the Bobcats in runs scored (16), while Christy Cabrera has picked up a team-high 14 RBI. Senior Joelle Jacobsen leads the team in putouts (172), while third baseman Bridget Figmic has tallied 62 assists.
What's Next For Quinnipiac
Quinnipiac begins play in the Northeast Conference this weekend, when it hosts Mount St. Mary's and Monmouth in doubleheaders. The Bobcats take on the Mount on Saturday, April 2 and the Hawks on Sunday, April 3. Both series will start at 12:00 p.m. and be held at the Quinnipiac Softball Field in Hamden, Conn.