April 19, 2012
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STORRS, Conn. - The University of Connecticut baseball team is now slated for a doubleheader on Friday afternoon against Rutgers beginning at 12:00 pm. Due to pending inclement weather, Saturday's game at Dodd Stadium has been moved up to a 12:00 pm first pitch.
About the Huskies... Connecticut has played just six of 37 games at home this season, posting a record of 5-1. Overall, the Huskies are 21-16 and sit in second in the BIG EAST at 9-3, one game back of USF. Redshirt-junior center fielder Billy Ferriter has gone 4-6 in each of the last two games, both wins, registering one game-winning hit and scoring one game-tying run. On the season, Ferriter is batting a team-best .360 with 32 runs scored, 24 RBI and a team-high 15 stolen bases. Junior second baseman LJ Mazzilli has provided much of the power, slugging nine homeruns and driving in 32, while batting .338 with 34 runs scored. Four different pitchers have won three games for UConn, including senior RHP David Fischer. Since moving into the starting rotation, Fischer is 2-1 in four starts, all against BIG EAST competition, with a 2.30 earned run average over 27.1 innings. Overall, he is 3-4 with a 3.57 ERA and 35 strikeouts. Redshirt-junior right-handed reliever Scott Oberg pitched a career-long 4.2 innings at St. John's on Sunday to pick up his third win of the season. Oberg is 3-0 with six saves and a 1.80 ERA over 20 innings pitched.
Last Time Out... Nine runs between the sixth and eighth inning provided UConn with a 13-8 come-from-behind win at Fairfield, erasing a four-run deficit on Tuesday. Junior right fielder Stanley Paul got the scoring started for the Huskies in the sixth with an RBI single to score sophomore shortstop Tom Verdi. Ferriter drove in a run with a double and scored the tying run on a Stag throwing error. Verdi led off the seventh and belted his third HR of the season to give UConn its first lead of the day. The Huskies added four runs in the eighth and redshirt-freshman LHP David Mahoney picked up the win.
Scouting the Scarlet Knights... Winners of six straight, Rutgers enters this weekend 21-15 overall and 7-5 in the BIG EAST. Junior 3B Patrick Kivlehan is batting a team-best .386 with seven homeruns, 30 runs and 27 RBI, while also stealing 17 bags in 18 attempts. Sophomore 2B Nick Favatella comes in with a .312 average and a team-high 35 runs scored plus 14 extra-base hits, including four homers. Junior RHP Tyler Gebler, junior LHP Rob Smorol and senior RHP Ryan Fasano will all start this weekend for the Scarlet Knights. Smorol is 5-2 with a 3.64 ERA, while Fasano is 3-3 with 37 Ks and two complete games.
All-Time vs. RU... The Huskies trail the all-time series with the Scarlet Knights, 25-31. However, Connecticut has won eight out of the last 10 meetings. In 2010, UConn swept the regular season series, then defeated Rutgers twice in three tries at the BIG EAST Tournament.
Last Time They Met... No. 23 UConn won the decisive game three of a weekend series at Rutgers by a score of 6-2, behind two hits and three RBI from George Springer. The Huskies broke open a scoreless game with four runs in the fifth. Mazzilli, who finished with three hits, sparked the rally with his 19th double of the year. Mike Nemeth drove in his 200th career RBI and Brian Ward earned the win to improve to 3-0 in a 6.2-inning, five-strikeout effort.
TWI(UConn)B History... During the 100-year anniversary of UConn baseball in 1996, the Huskies took two of three games at home against Boston College, including a doubleheader sweep on April 20. In game two, catcher Jeff Uccello homered four times, including a grand slam, and knocked in 10 runs in a 28-7 win. Uccello also went 3-4 with four RBI and two doubles in the opener.
Up Next... The Huskies are home for a midweek game against Bryant at J.O. Christian Field on Tuesday April 24 at 3:00 pm. UConn then hits the road for a three-game conference series at Louisville, April 27-29.
Driving Down 32... The Huskies play the first of four games at Dodd Stadium against Rutgers on Saturday. In the last two years, UConn is 2-3 at Dodd including a 1-2 showing at the 2010 NCAA Norwich Regional. Last season, the Huskies fell to Sacred Heart, 5-4, and defeated USF 2-1.
At Home on the Road... Through 37 games, Connecticut has played just six at home. The Huskies are 11-9 in away games in 16-15 including neutral site games. In BIG EAST play, UConn is 7-2 on the road and batting .308 as a team with a 3.22 ERA, outscoring opponents, 61-40.
