ORLANDO, Fla. (February 8, 2024) – Howard university softball started the season off with a bang as they traveled to Orlando, Fla., to compete in the Black & Gold Classic. The Bison opened with one of the biggest wins in program history, besting two-time Big East champion University of Connecticut (UCONN), 8-7. The Bison split the day 1-1 with a 10-2 loss to host school University of Central Florida (UCF) in five innings.
 
HOWARD 8, UCONN 7
 
The Bison started off strong with junior Sidney Fletcher (Whittier, Calif.) singling to left field. Working to find her rhythm, the Husky on the mound walked newcomer Bianca Worthy (Goodyear, Ariz.). Fletcher took advantage of a throwing error, charging into scoring position while UCONN found their bearings. With Bison on every corner, grad pitcher Meghan O'Neil (Forest, Va.) managed to hold off the stampede with a strikeout.
 
Rookie Merci Hart's (Los Angeles) first collegiate at bat proved fruitful with a two-run single to right field. Sophomore Maryn Jordan (San Diego) capped the scoring in the top of the first when her hit to right field brought Alyssa Vasquez (Downey, Calif.) home, 3-0.
 
Junior Lexi Hastings (Lynchburg, Va.) put the Huskies on the board when she ran in on a wild pitch, 3-1.
 
The second frame went scoreless as both teams struggled to get a hit. Vasquez and freshman Justine Lambert (Camarillo, Calif.) highlighted the bottom of the second when Lambert caught second-year Savannah Ring (Wyckoff, Nj.) stealing second.
 
With two out on the board, Hart marked her third career hit but was left on base to close the top in the third. The Huskies closed the gap in the bottom of the inning. Hastings posted another point, utilizing a throwing error to her advantage. UCONN followed up with a hit directly after. Lealani Ricks (Madera, Calif.) got her second out of the inning when she caught a popup, stopping the Husky in scoring position and closing the frame, 3-2.
 
With two outs on the board, Ricks singled to shortstop before Flecher hit a double down the edge of left field, hoisting Ricks in scoring position. Worthy notched her first two RBIs as a Bison when she hit out to center field, putting the Bison up, 5-2.
 
HU held off the Huskies as they managed one hit in the fourth before striking out swinging and grounding out to second and first base.
 
Newcomer Kenna Higa (Honolulu) opened the fifth with her first hit as a Bison. Pinch running for the Norfolk State transfer, Richmond native Iyanna Fortenberry (Richmond, Va.) made it across home plate to pull away, 6-2.
 
UCONN answered back with Hastings third run of the evening, followed by Rosie Garcia (San Fernando, Calif.) stealing home to close the gap, 6-4.
 
Needing to inch away, Ricks hit out to left field before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Worthy back at bat, the newcomer singled out to right center, giving Ricks time to run home. It was Worthy's time to cross the plate as she seized a fielding error to lift the score, 8-4.
 
The HU defense locked in, knocking down the first at-bat with a ground out to short. Freshman pitcher Jordin King (Pamona, Calif.) marked her first strike out swinging, notching the second out on the board. A hit to left field inched the Huskies closer to evening the score when Grace Jenkins (Folsom, Calif.) recorded two RBIs. UCONN managed another notch but fell short, 8-7, as Bria Finley caught the final out.
 
The Bison finished with 11 hits to UCONN's seven. Hart led the way, hitting .750 off four appearances. Junior pitcher Mia Gonzales (Atwater, Calif.) earned her first win of the season, pitching 4.2 innings. Sophomore Julia Holt (Tucson, Ariz.) got the save, coming in to pitch 1.1 innings.
 
UCF 10, HOWARD 2
 
In their first inning of the day, the Knights opened with three stolen bases, three hits and three runs before Jordan closed it out when she caught a fly out at center, 3-0.
 
With bases loaded, Lambert put the Bison on the board when she hit right up the middle to bring Sydni Jones (Whittier, Calif.) home. Bases loaded, yet again, a fielding error worked in their favor to close the gap, 3-2.
 
Those would be the lone runs for the Bison as the Knights posted three more runs in the bottom of the second, 6-2.
 
After going scoreless in the third, the host managed three more runs in the fourth, 9-2.
 
The Knights capped the night with one more run in the bottom of the fifth when a single up the middle resulted in an RBI from second.
 
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
 
Next up, the Bison continue competition in Florida as they face Georgia State Friday, February 10 at 10 a.m.
 
For more information visit the Howard Athletics website at www.hubison.com.