The Daily Campus

Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Ryan Sayers Freshman Julianne Towers knocks in a hit yesterday in UConn's victory over Central Connecticut State.

The UConn softball team was able to teach the Central Connecticut State a lesson - you have to play all seven innings. The Blue Devils were in the lead for six and a half of them, but then came the bottom of the seventh.

The Huskies were trailing 3-1 with freshman Melissa Lucas at the plate with the bases loaded and one out. Lucas was hit by a pitch and drove in a run making it 3-2.

"When Lucas came up I was pretty confident that it was going to be her to do it and when she was hit by a pitch, I was just like I have to now," said catcher Danielle Del Ponte. "It's fun I like being in situations like that, she threw me a pitch right over the plate and I just hit it."

Del Ponte lined a ball to center field and drove home two runs for the 4-3 victory.

"It was important to play all seven today because we came out a little flat and struggled," said head coach Karen Mullins. "So it was nice to see us stay in there for seven innings and stay after them in the sixth and seventh and it paid off."

"Sometimes when you get in games like that you have to play every inning, every single inning is important whether you are playing the No. 1 team in the country or the worst team in the country," Del Ponte said. "I say one of the biggest things for team this year is that we do play all seven innings and it's obvious that it has helped us this year so far."

Although the team is generally not in that sort of position, they continued to play hard and had a feeling things might turn their way.

"There is never a game whether we are down by seven runs or down by three no matter the situation our team always finds ways to come through," Del Ponte said. "We have the confidence in each other and our selves that no matter what the situation is we are going to pull it out."

Del Ponte went 3-for-4 on the day with three RBIs, but was one of the few Huskies that looked comfortable at the plate.

"We didn't look good at the plate the first couple of innings; we just couldn't get on track. It's uncharacteristic of us to go as long as we did without scoring because everyone is capable," Mullins said. "I felt good with Lucas there but Del Ponte has been swinging such a hot bat I was comfortable with her in that situation and she came through for us."

Continued...

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