2008 Woodie Awards
UConn Overwhelms CCSU, Truax Sets Home-Run Record
Softball
Chris Brodeur
Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: Sports
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Junior Micah Truax notched her 21st career homerun to establish her place as the most prolific slugger in school history.
Batting in the bottom of second with UConn (12-12) leading 3-0 and an RBI single already to her credit, Truax sent a no-doubt, two-run shot over the left field wall with a swing as swift as it was powerful. With it, the 2007 Big East Player of the Year claimed sole possession of the program's all-time home run record and continued on her rebound from a rough start to the season at the plate.
"It's great to be in the record books," said Truax. "I'm starting to hit again. I was in a slump but I was doing the same things as I always do. Now it's coming back together."
Truax now has six hits in her last 12 trips to the batter's box and has raised her average from a career-worst .185 just three games ago to .214 after Thursday. Head coach Karen Mullins is pleased with the centerfielder's progress and expects the future to bring more of the same.
"She's taking good swings," said Mullins. "As long as she continues to do that, good things will happen for her."
The home run for Truax was one of three Central Connecticut (6-10) yielded to the Huskies in the six-inning affair. Junior Jillian Ortega lined a pitch just clear of the fence in left for another two-run homer in the bottom half of the fourth inning for her fourth on the year which leads team.
Junior Danielle Del Ponte matched the total with a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth to provide a walk-off win of sorts, extending UConn's lead to eight runs with five innings in the books for the automatic game-ender.
Sarah Neuschwander supplied additional offense for the Huskies, plating two runners with a single in the first. The outpouring of runs was a welcome change for UConn after Wednesday's loss to Boston College, in which they were kept off the board.
"We liked our energy level and our focus today and the bats came alive," Mullins said. "I thought we had some good at-bats, but you know, hitting is so contagious."
Junior Rachael Crossin (5-6, 2.05 ERA) was steady once again on the mound, recording seven strikeouts in her five innings of work and surrendering a single unearned run. She's won her last four decisions and has supplanted Tricia Sullivan as the team's ace with the sophomore still recovering from a concussion she suffered at the end of March.
"She has that nice changeup that upsets timing," said Mullins of her pitcher. "She went out there and started strong and maintained her focus and her intensity throughout and had a good outing."
UConn travels to Pittsburgh and Syracuse this weekend for a pair of Big East doubleheaders before returning home on April 9 to take on Hofstra.
Contact Chris Brodeur at Chris.Brodeur@UConn.edu.
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