University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Tulane
Huskies Win Conference Opener At Tulane, 6-0
3/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
NEW ORLEANS -- The UConn baseball team got seven shutout innings from Carson Cross and three RBIs from Jon Testani to take a 6-0 victory at Tulane on Friday night in the American Athletic Conference opener for both teams. The victory improves UConn to 16-8 on the year, while Tulane drops to 17-9.
Cross (Brentwood, N.H.) continued his star turn in his redshirt-senior season, striking out seven against two walks and allowing four hits to improve to 6-1 on the year. He was opposed by Tulane ace Corey Merrill who lasted six innings, surrendering five runs, four earned, on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
UConn was led offensively by a 2-for-4 day from Testani (Monroe, Conn.) who had a clutch RBI single in the second before a two-run home run in the sixth. Jack Sundberg (Mansfield, Conn.) went 2-for-4 with a walk and a run, while Blake Davey (Newport Beach, Calif.) and Willy Yahn (Sharon, Conn.) both added RBis.
UConn took an early lead, scoring twice in the top of the first inning. Three straight singles to open the contest set the table for a sacrifice fly off the bat of Davey. During the next at-bat, Vinny Siena (Woodbridge, Conn.) came home to score on a passed ball and give the Huskies a 2-0 advantage. In the next half-inning, Testani made it a three-run lead with an RBI single.
Cross cruised through the early going of the contest, not allowing a baserunner until a one-out single in the bottom of the fifth. The Green Wave put runners on the corners with two away in the frame, but Cross ended the threat with a swinging strikeout.
Testani stretched the lead to 5-0 in the top of the sixth when he crushed a two-run home run deep to left field. With two away in the seventh, Yahn pushed the advantage to six with an RBI double before the Green Wave were able to strand the bases loaded. Tulane loaded the bases itself in the bottom of the seventh, but Cross fanned Tyler Wilson after falling behind 3-0 in the count to end the threat.
Cross was relieved after finishing the seventh, and Nico Darras (Laguna Beach, Calif.) fired a scoreless eighth inning before Trevor Holmes (Ashland, Mass.) closed the contest with a 1-2-3 ninth. The win for the Huskies improved them to 10-2 in their last 12 contests.
The Huskies and Green Wave continue their weekend league series tomorrow afternoon. Game time from Greer Field at Turchin Stadium is set for 3 p.m. (Eastern).
Game Notes
UConn improved to 1-1 in American Athletic Conference openers and 1-0 all-time against Tulane
Carson Cross is 4-0 with a 0.59 ERA and 39 strikeouts against six walks in his last four starts
Cross recorded his 18th career win, moving into a tie with John Kelly for sixth in program history
Vinny Siena extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a bunt single in the first inning
Bobby Melley also singled in the first inning to push his hitting streak to 11 games
Jack Sundberg collected his team-leading 12th multi-hit game; the Huskies are 10-2 in those contests
