University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
UCF
Huskies Win Series vs. No. 22 UCF with Sunday Sweep
4/8/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
STORRS, Conn. - After a tough loss in extra innings on Saturday the UConn baseball rebounded with a doubleheader sweep against No. 22 UCF on Sunday at J.O. Christian Field.
The Huskies (17-10, 3-3) wrapped up a 6-2 win in a scheduled seven-inning first game before coming back and walking off against the Knights in the ninth inning of the series finale. UConn has won six of its last seven games.
Game 1
With an early 8:30 a.m. start time in 25 degree temperatures the Huskies came out hot with a three-run opening frame. Isaac Feldstein and Christian Fedko provided RBI infield singles to give the Huskies the early advantage.
The Huskies benefitted from seven (!) UCF errors with a costly error coming in the fifth. With two outs and a pair of runners on, a routine groundball to first base went through Rylan Thomas' legs to allow two runs to come in and give UConn a 5-2 cushion.
Zac Susi added an insurance run in the sixth to make it 6-2. In the scheduled seven-inning affair, UConn starting pitcher Chase Gardner was excellent. The lefthander went 6.2 innings, scattered eight hits, allowed a pair of runs and struck out five in a winning effort.
P.J. Poulin came on to strike out Thomas to notch his ninth save of the season and even the series up.
Anthony Prato, Susi and Feldstein all recorded multi-hit efforts in the win.
Game 2
The Huskies came out firing in game two with a two-run bottom of the first. John Toppa led off with a single and quickly scored on an Anthony Prato RBI triple. Isaac Feldstein added an RBI single in support of Colby Dunlop.
The freshman RHP made his first career start and pitched 1.2 scoreless innings before handing the ball to Jeff Kersten.
The Huskies trailed 3-2 entering the bottom of the sixth when Troy Stefanski delivered a two-out RBI single to score Susi an even up the score, 3-3.
Stefanski factored into the scoring again in the eighth, With the Huskies down 4-3 and two outs and Feldstein at second, Stefanski rolled a ball back up the middle. The shortstop fielded and threw to first but Stefanski beat the throw. Meanwhile, Feldstein kept running with two outs and scored easily on the infield single.
The Huskies continued the two-out rally with a single for Christian Fedko and a walk to Chris Winkel to load the bases. Mike Woodworth followed with a two-run single into left field to push the Huskies ahead 6-4.
For the second-straight day the Knight mounted a comeback in the ninth with Rylan Thomas knocking a two-out, two run single into centerfield to knot the ballgame at 6.
In the bottom of the ninth the Huskies walked off on a wild pitch without putting the ball in play. Three walks issued by the Knights to Prato, Susi and Nucerino filled the bases for Thad Phillips. On the first pitch of his at-bat, Knight righthander Garret Westberg fired a ball to the backstop to bring Prato in from third. It was the first walk-off win for the Huskies this season.
Chris Winkel, Stefanski and Prato all recorded two-hit games in the contest.
UConn returns to the field on Tuesday, April 10 against Bryant at 3 p.m. at J.O. Christian Field.
Notes
The Huskies move to 7-2 all-time against the Knights at J.O. Christian Field. The Huskies have won all three series that UCF has played in Storrs.
Anthony Prato went 7-13 in the series against the Knights with four runs scored, two RBIs and a stolen base.
The 8:30 a.m. start time for game one of the doubleheader was the earliest start for the Huskies in the Jim Penders era (2004-present) and possibly the earliest start time in program history.
Zac Susi reached base in both games and has extended his reach base streak to 18 games.
