BSB Beats No. 1 Michigan in Comeback Fashion, 8-7

Friday, February 21

Practice Field #2, Port St. Lucie, Fla.

2:00 PM

University of Connecticut

2-2

No.1/9 University of Michigan

3-2

UConn

Michigan

2/21/2020 6:51:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - The UConn baseball team overcame multiple deficits in difficult conditions to beat No. 1 Michigan, 8-7, on Friday afternoon at the Mets Spring Training Complex.

The Huskies spotted the Wolverines a 5-0 lead after the first inning after issuing four walks, one hit batter and one wild pitch in the opening frame.

A young trio of arms helped hold down the Wolverines while the UConn offense climbed its way out of the early hole.

Sophomore Will Lucas put together a career-best performance with 2.1 innings of one-run ball that featured just one hit and six strikeouts.

Freshman Pat Gallagher followed it up with 3.0 strong innings, giving up one hit, one run and struck out six.

Andrew Marrero added a scoreless seventh inning for the Huskies.

For the first time since 2001 (Notre Dame), the 'Skies knock off the top-ranked team in the country!https://t.co/5jDaUKP0Bj
— UConn Baseball (@UConnBSB) February 21, 2020

UConn post a pair of runs in the second to make it a 5-2 ballgame, redshirt freshman Kevin Ferrer highlighted the inning with his first career hit, an RBI single to plate Kyler Fedko.

The score remained 6-2 Michigan until the sixth inning. Zach Bushling led off the frame with his first extra-base hit of the season, a double, to start the UConn rally. Chris Winkel followed with a key walk and both scored on a Christian Fedko two-run double down the left field line.

After a Paul Gozzo single, the older Fedko brother scored on a Reggie Crawford sac fly to bring the Huskies within a run, 6-5.

Kevin Ferrer evened the game up a 6-6 on a chopper to third that brought in Gozzo.

Michigan reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the sixth but the Huskies responded and tied it in the eighth. Crawford and Kyler Fedko recorded back-to-back doubles to even the score at 7-7.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Wolverines threatened with the potential go-ahead run at third and one out. Senior Kenny Haus stepped up with a strikeout and pop out to end the threat.

Chris Winkel kicked off the ninth inning rally with a two-strike double and came around to score the go-ahead run on a Christian Fedko RBI single, giving UConn its first lead of the day.

Caleb Wurster came on and locked down his first save of 2020 with a scoreless ninth. The victory was the first for UConn over the No. 1 team in the country since defeating No. 1 Notre Dame in South Bend in 2001.

UConn and Michigan resume its three-game set with game two beginning at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Practice Field #5 at the Mets Spring Training Complex.

Notes

UConn pitching struck out 17 batters on Friday with Gallagher and Lucas each notching six punch outs. UConn last struck out 17 batters against No. 9 Oklahoma State in the NCAA Oklahoma City Regional victory on June 2.
The five-run deficit is the largest that UConn has overcome since coming back from six runs down to beat UCF on May 14, 2016.
Both Fedko brothers recorded three-hit games, it is the first time that both have had three-hit games in same contest. It is first career three-hit affair for the younger Fedko brother.
The Huskies matched their 2019 season-high with five doubles in a game. The Huskies had three games with five two-baggers last year.