Ninth-ranked UConn has a special baseball season brewing
Huskies rally past Pirates in 11 and keep opening eyes in their bid to host NCAA tourney regional
Storrs — UConn summoned some comeback magic for the second straight game on Saturday at Elliot Ball Park.
A day after rallying from a sixrun deficit to win the Big East series opener, Jake Studley's hard two-out single to left field scored David Smith from second base for a 3-2 walk-off victory over Seton Hall in the bottom of the 11th inning.
The ninth-ranked Huskies trailed 2-1 entering the seventh before tying the score.
“The kids showed toughness, grit and determination, the hallmark of our teams,” coach Jim Penders said. “But you don't take that for granted. Each team is a little bit different. I'm glad to see that carried over even on some newcomers.”
The Huskies (34-11) have battled all season long while building an impressive resume.
They won for the eighth time this season after trailing through five innings, five more times than last season. They remain in first place in the Big East (10-3) with two league series remaining in the regular season.
The winning rally started with David Smith drawing a one-out walk and reaching second with his third stolen base of the season.
Dominic Freeberger drew a twoout walk to keep the inning alive. Then Studley, who leads the team in RBI (21) from the seventh inning on, delivered the game-winning hit.
Studley fired his helmet into the air before his teammates mobbed him near second base.
“We have a great group of guys,” Studley said. “We're tough as nails. We fight like hell. We just pick each other up. Obviously, it was going to be one of us to do it, and I'm just grateful it was me.”
A graduate transfer, Studley started his baseball career at Division III
Wheaton College. He's a former hockey player.
“Jake Studley is a hockey player playing baseball,” Penders said. “He's as tough as they come. He's a kid that you can get in his face a little bit. He's the son of a former state trooper who's about 6-foot-6 and chiseled. He's heard it all and seen it all and he doesn't accept excuses.
“So, he had an opportunity to bail out his buddy Dom Freeberger and he didn't miss.”
Freeberger gained some redemp
tion for a base-running mistake in the 10th inning with UConn threatening to score.
The Huskies missed out on a great opportunity to close out the game after loading the bases on Freeberger’s single and two walks.
When Maddix Dalena lined out to right field, Freeberger, who was on third, didn’t tag up. Ryan Daniels flew out to left to end the threat.
“Dom Freeberger is probably one of the wisest baseball minds that I’ve ever coached,” Penders said. “And he made a base-running mistake. I always yell tag right away and for some reason, I didn’t yell tag. There was something about that ball. .. It was not an easy read, but you’ve got to go right back to the bag.
“... What I’m proud of was the guys were not going to let that be the story. Somebody was going to step up.”
The play didn’t hurt the Huskies, who still had some comeback magic left in their bag.
UConn had to battle for everything against some tough Seton Hall pitchers.
In the first inning, the Huskies manufactured the game’s first run. Smith walked, stole second, swiped third and raced home on the catcher’s throwing error for a 1-0 lead.
Starting pitcher Stephen Quigley didn’t have his best stuff but he kept the Huskies close. He walked two batters in the second and both runners scored to give the Pirates a 2-1 edge. He went six innings, allowing four hits while walking four and striking out four.
The score stayed that way until the Huskies tied it up in the seventh.
Daniels, a pinch-hitter, led off with a single, stole second and eventually scored on Smith’s double.
The Huskies finished the comeback with help from relievers Devin Kirby (3.1 innings, one hit, two strikeouts) and Justin Willis (1.2 innings, one hit, one walk, two Ks), who earned the win. They improved to 46-8 all-time at Elliot.
“Really proud of our fight,” Penders said. “It was not a Picasso by any stretch.”
Every game is important down the stretch with UConn trying to win its third straight Big East regular season title and also stay in the running for a chance to host an NCAA tournament regional. The Huskies are already in a good position to earn a postseason bid.
Entering Saturday, they stood 16th in the RPI.
“The lights are a little brighter,” Penders said. “I know coaches say they all count the same. But when it gets down the wire, you’ve got to keep taking stuff.”