The Daily Campus

Issue date: 4/3/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Matt Lin Melissa Lucas had three hits in UConn's 6-0 loss to Boston College.

A combination of double play balls, hard-luck outs on solid contact and an untimely blunder on the bases kept the Huskies off the board, as runs eluded them in a 6-0 loss to Boston College, UConn's first setback in the confines of the Connecticut Softball Stadium this season.

UConn (11-12) may have had their best opportunity to score against the Eagles (20-17) in the first inning, as a looping fly ball off the bat of Sarah Neuschwander swirled away from the outstretched glove of the shortstop and dropped in front of the leftfielder for a hit that should have loaded the bases with just one out. Instead, Jillian Ortega was thrown out on her way to third after an improper read on the ball caused her to stay too close to second base, costing her team a chance at an early rally.

UConn head coach Karen Mullins, who is always an advocate of pitching and defense over offense the more unreliable aspects of the game, acknowledged her team's lack of fortune, both by their own doing and otherwise.

"In the first inning, the mistake on the bases really cost us momentum-wise," said Mullins. "That could have been a big inning for us, so we're shooting ourselves in the foot. She needed to see the ball, but she turned her back on it, and if she takes two more steps off she makes it to third and we've got the bases loaded."

Three of UConn's hits belonged to freshman Melissa Lucas, who raised her team-leading batting average to an even .400. Some of the Huskies' better swings on the day resulted in easy outs for aptly positioned Boston College fielders.

"We took some good swings and we hit the ball hard but we hit into three double plays," Mullins said. "We didn't get the timely hits and it was a disappointing day."

Sophomore pitcher Tricia Sullivan made her second start after a 10-day absence due to a concussion she sustained slipping in the shower. Sullivan (6-6, 2.74 ERA) has struggled in her return, yielding 10 runs over her last 11 innings. Once the ace of the Huskies' pitching staff, the native of New Bedford, Mass., is still working on regaining her command following the injury.

"It's taken me a little bit of time to get back in the rhythm of things," said Sullivan, who was unaware that she had a concussion until days after her fall. "I went from practicing every day to 10 days off and the first thing that goes when you miss a few days is your spots. That's what I've been working on is getting my spots back."

Sullivan missed her spot in the top of the second, as Boston College's Dani Weir lined an offering on the inner-half of the plate over the left-field wall to provide the only two runs the Eagles would need. "I tried to throw an inside fastball and it curved right in," said Sullivan.

UConn takes on Central Connecticut State (6-9) tomorrow in a makeup of Tuesday's rainout with the in-state rivals. The Blue Devils split a pair of meetings with the Huskies in 2007.



Contact Chris Brodeur at Christopher.Brodeur@UConn.edu.

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