UConn sweeps Creighton, nears the Big East baseball crown

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They played sparkling defense. Left fielder Erik Stock, who had an RBI single, threw out a runner at the plate and made a terrific running catch in foul territory.

"The defense was the difference," Penders said.

The bottom of the order had a productive day with Donlan (2-for-3, a walk, three runs scored), Padilla (2for-4, one run scored) and Simmons (2-for-3, two doubles, three RBI, a walk, one run scored) doing significant damage.

"Matt Donlan had a really good day and he was in scoring position twice and I was able to put a good swing on it," said Simmons, whose two-run double highlighted a four-run second inning.

"The whole lineup knows how to swing it well."

Relievers Jack Sullivan, Brendan

O'Donnell and Kirby combined to pitch 4.1 scoreless innings.

And then there's UConn's ducks in the rainstorm mentality.

Let's let Penders explain what that means:

"That's something that I use," Penders said. "A duck in the rainstorm looks like a duck on a placid lake in the summer with no storm. It looks exactly the same. You've got to work a lot harder in a rainstorm but you don't see the work. Those webbed feet are moving like crazy in a rainstorm but he looks the same up top.

"That's kind of how it was (with us). There was a great focus and intensity to the group, but you've got to be a duck in the rainstorm."

Almost there

UConn is closing in on winning the Big East regular season title. The Huskies are four games ahead of Creighton (25-15, 10-5) with six league games remaining — three at home against Xavier next weekend and three at Georgetown May 19-21.

The Huskies have yet to lose a weekend series this season. That's a significant feat.

"I feel like we're going to win every day," Penders said, "and I think that pervades our dugout and clubhouse. You've got to go out and do it. There's a really good veteran presence on this team."