After splitting the first two series of the year against Ohio State, and Cal Poly/Cal, the Huskies headed to Boca Raton to take on the red-hot Florida Atlantic Owls. Fresh off a win against Miami, the Owls were 7-1, but the Huskies received big performances by their pitching staff to take the series.
GAME ONE -- UCONN WINS 6-4
A pitching duel to start, it was 1-1 through five, but the Huskies exploded for four runs in the 6th. After getting a run on some small ball, Dominic Freeberger, the UNC-Asheville transfer and Ben Huber recorded back to back RBI doubles, and Bryan Padilla knocked in two runs on a single. Adding an insurance run in the 8th on a bases loaded HBP, FAU would get two runs in the 7th on a two run double, and one more in the 8th, but would get no closer than two. Ian Cooke recorded the win, allowing four runs, two runs, one earned and 4 Ks on 6.1 innings of work.
GAME TWO -- UCONN WINS 5-2
Similarly to game one, this was a pitcher’s duel, with Huskies starter Stephen Quigley not allowing a hit until the 5th. He would give up just three, and one earned run in the winning effort. Clinging to a 2-1 lead, Bryan Padilla came through with a clutch bases clearing double to give the Huskies a 5-1 lead they would not relinquish. Will Nowak worked 1.1 innings out of the bullpen allowing just one hit. After giving up an opening triple in the bottom of the 9th, Braden Quinn was replaced by Justin Willis, who took care of business, striking out the next three batters swinging.
GAME THREE -- UCONN WINS 8-2
UConn kept the momentum going in the final game of the series. Tied at 2-2, the Huskies loaded the bases in the 4th, and plated five runs. David Smith got it going with a single that scored Bryan Padilla, followed by a sacrifice fly by Korey Morton. Ben Huber doubled to right, scoring two, later scoring on a Jake Studley single. Huber would drive in one more in the 6th, to end the scoring for the day. It was a bullpen day for the Huskies as RIC transfer Andrew Sears went 2.1 innings before bejng replaced by Thomas Ellisen, Zach Fogell, Brady Afthim, Jude Abbadessa, and Garret Coe, who all kept the off the scoreboard.
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UCONN HUSKIES SOFTBALL...
What was supposed to be a five game tournament in Lynchburg, VA was cut down to four due to weather. After dropping the first game to the host Liberty Flames, UConn won the next, defeating Radford, then Iona.
GAME ONE -- LIBERTY WINS 3-0
Liberty starter Karlie Keeney was in the zone, holding the Huskies to just two hits in a compete game effort. She would allow no walks, and strike out seven. A two run single in the 4th, aided by an error in left field put the Flames up three and the game out of reach.
GAME TWO -- UCONN WINS 8-0 (FIVE INNINGS)
The Huskies would bounce back with a mercy rule victory over Radford. UConn starter Hope Jenkins went all five innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three. She was helped by a balanced offensive attack, with seven different Huskies recording RBI. Aziah James and Jana Sanden each had a double. James would also score on a wild pitch.
GAME THREE -- UCONN WINS 5-3
UConn got out to a 4-0 lead, before the Gaels got three runs in the bottom of the 6th. Grace Jenkins had a two run double in the 3rd, and freshman Haley Coupal had an RBI groundout and an RBI single. Iona, who had only two hits going into the 6th, got the scoring going on an RBI single by Brianna Bailey, followed by a double by Jessica Chilcott, to cut the lead in half. Windsor native Emma Capuano capped the scoring with another RBI single, but the Gaels couldn’t get the tying run. Savannah Ring added an RBI single in the top of the 7th, providing all the insurance the Huskies would need. Meghan O’Neil went six innings, allowing the three runs but also struck out eight to get her third win of the season. Delaney Nagy worked the 7th to get her first save of the year.
GAME FOUR -- UCONN WINS 8-3
The bats picked up where they left off the first game of the day, as they plated eight runs on nine hits, in addition to drawing seven walks. Taylor Zatyk led the way with 4 RBI, including a bases clearing double in the 1st. The 3rd was a rough inning for the Gaels as they walked in two runs followed by a Lauren Benson RBI single. Hope Jenkins went five innings giving up five hits and three runs including 5 Ks, and Meghan O’Neil pitched the last two innings striking out four and allowing just one hit.
UP NEXT...
Baseball opens their home schedule against UHart on Tuesday the 7th, then heads to Honolulu for a four game set with Hawaii.
Softball opens their home and Big East schedule with a three game series against Seton Hall beginning Friday the 10th.
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