St. John's University Athletics
Saturday, May 1
Storrs, CT
12 p.m.
St. John's University
at
Connecticut
Red Storm Travels to Storrs for Final BIG EAST Series with Connecticut
4/30/2021 12:29:00 PM | Softball
Johnnies, Huskies will face off for first time since UConn returned to the conference
STORRS, Conn. – The St. John's softball team travels to Storrs, Conn. to close out the 2021 BIG EAST slate in a three-game series with the Huskies this weekend.
The Red Storm (9-17, 6-12 BIG EAST) and Huskies (16-13, 8-4 BIG EAST) will face off in a doubleheader on Saturday at 12 p.m. followed by a single game on Sunday with first pitch also set for noon. All three games will be streamed live via Huskies All-Access and live stats will be available as well for each contest.
The Johnnies are coming off a six-day period between games after a busy week that saw them go 1-4 overall. The Red Storm's lone win came against Providence last Monday in a make-up game, 4-1, followed by a loss to Stony Brook and three consecutive defeats at the hands of Villanova last weekend in Queens.
In the team's win last Monday against the Friars, Erin Brown worked a complete game, her second of the season against Providence, while Gretchen Bowie and Gabriella Conca each added home runs. Bowie has been one of the team's top performers this season, as she is hitting .368 with four home runs, which is tied for the lead on the team and has added nine doubles.
Perhaps no Red Storm hitter has been hotter of late than Kaitlin Mattera, who was recognized by the BIG EAST this week after being named to the Weekly Honor Roll. The honor marked the second that the graduate catcher has received in the last three weeks, as she went 5-14 at the plate last week, including hitting at a .455 clip against Villanova and adding a three-run home run.
Mattera is hitting .500 (13-26) over the team's last eight games dating back to the team's series at Creighton while adding three home runs and six RBIs. Overall, the Red Storm catcher and two-time BIG EAST First Team selection is hitting .354 this season which ranks third on the team.
Leading the way this season offensively for the Red Storm has been Marissa Rizzi, who is hitting .423 with a .517 on base percentage, both of which lead the team and rank second in the BIG EAST. Last weekend against the Wildcats, Rizzi hit .500 (4-8) while adding two doubles to add to her conference best total of 11 this season.
As for the Johnnies opponent, Connecticut comes into the weekend fresh off a three-game midweek series sweep of Providence. UConn has had multiple series rescheduled this season yet is still inside the playoff picture in the BIG EAST, sitting third in the conference heading into the weekend. The Huskies boast a tough pitching staff led by freshman Payton Kinney, as opponents are hitting a conference-worst .237 against their pitching. UConn also leads the conference in stolen bases and is led by Reese Guevarra, who is hitting .355.
UConn has dominated the all-time series with the Red Storm, as they have won 58 of the 75 meetings between the two programs. The last time the two teams matched up in March of 2016, they were not conference foes, as the Huskies took both games, 7-4 and 5-0. UConn has taken each of the last five meetings between the teams.
Following their series with Connecticut, the Johnnies have just one week remaining in the regular season. They will host Stony Brook in Queens next Tuesday followed by a doubleheader at Delaware on Saturday. Should they qualify, the Red Storm will then head back to Storrs for the BIG EAST Tournament which is scheduled for May 13-15.
The Red Storm (9-17, 6-12 BIG EAST) and Huskies (16-13, 8-4 BIG EAST) will face off in a doubleheader on Saturday at 12 p.m. followed by a single game on Sunday with first pitch also set for noon. All three games will be streamed live via Huskies All-Access and live stats will be available as well for each contest.
The Johnnies are coming off a six-day period between games after a busy week that saw them go 1-4 overall. The Red Storm's lone win came against Providence last Monday in a make-up game, 4-1, followed by a loss to Stony Brook and three consecutive defeats at the hands of Villanova last weekend in Queens.
In the team's win last Monday against the Friars, Erin Brown worked a complete game, her second of the season against Providence, while Gretchen Bowie and Gabriella Conca each added home runs. Bowie has been one of the team's top performers this season, as she is hitting .368 with four home runs, which is tied for the lead on the team and has added nine doubles.
Perhaps no Red Storm hitter has been hotter of late than Kaitlin Mattera, who was recognized by the BIG EAST this week after being named to the Weekly Honor Roll. The honor marked the second that the graduate catcher has received in the last three weeks, as she went 5-14 at the plate last week, including hitting at a .455 clip against Villanova and adding a three-run home run.
Mattera is hitting .500 (13-26) over the team's last eight games dating back to the team's series at Creighton while adding three home runs and six RBIs. Overall, the Red Storm catcher and two-time BIG EAST First Team selection is hitting .354 this season which ranks third on the team.
Leading the way this season offensively for the Red Storm has been Marissa Rizzi, who is hitting .423 with a .517 on base percentage, both of which lead the team and rank second in the BIG EAST. Last weekend against the Wildcats, Rizzi hit .500 (4-8) while adding two doubles to add to her conference best total of 11 this season.
As for the Johnnies opponent, Connecticut comes into the weekend fresh off a three-game midweek series sweep of Providence. UConn has had multiple series rescheduled this season yet is still inside the playoff picture in the BIG EAST, sitting third in the conference heading into the weekend. The Huskies boast a tough pitching staff led by freshman Payton Kinney, as opponents are hitting a conference-worst .237 against their pitching. UConn also leads the conference in stolen bases and is led by Reese Guevarra, who is hitting .355.
UConn has dominated the all-time series with the Red Storm, as they have won 58 of the 75 meetings between the two programs. The last time the two teams matched up in March of 2016, they were not conference foes, as the Huskies took both games, 7-4 and 5-0. UConn has taken each of the last five meetings between the teams.
Following their series with Connecticut, the Johnnies have just one week remaining in the regular season. They will host Stony Brook in Queens next Tuesday followed by a doubleheader at Delaware on Saturday. Should they qualify, the Red Storm will then head back to Storrs for the BIG EAST Tournament which is scheduled for May 13-15.
Players Mentioned
UTIL
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