University of Connecticut Athletics
Promising Season Cut Short for the HookC
4/10/2020 10:02:00 AM | Baseball
by Chris Jones
The UConn baseball team was just starting to hit its stride. A five-game winning streak entering an eight-game, 11-day spring break trip. Even with the uncertainty of CoVid-19 on the horizon, the talk on that flight down to Richmond was that the pieces were beginning to come together.
The 2020 Huskies never were able to show that true potential, sitting at 8-5 after 13 games, the season came to a screeching halt as the bus pulled up to the hotel after the final practice of the year at the University of Richmond. It wasn't official but the words "College World Series Cancelled" was the big blow, the realization that the Huskies were not going to play another game this season.
"Everyone always asks in the fall and winter, "How is your team? How do you think the season will go?" I generally respond with, "I have no idea and I probably won't know until late April anyway, said head coach Jim Penders. "That is when a team really takes on its identity. This year felt different for several reasons. First, we had so many first-year players and so much learning to do in the fall and preseason, that I would usually substitute the word, "April," with "May", in the preceding sentence."
The HookC showed promise during a tough opening to the season with five of its first six games against Top-10 ranked opponents. UConn beat Michigan three times including a series win against the No. 1 ranked team (Baseball America) down in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
But with any start to a season, especially with a Northeast team that hadn't been on grass since November, the team was getting back into a rhythm of a season. Especially with a young group of players, with many unfamiliar faces in key roles, things were going to take time to find what pieces fit where.
"The only three diamonds we performed on all year leading up to the opener were in Hartford at Dunkin', at Eastern, and at URI," said Penders. "It just felt like in addition to all the new faces, we didn't have our normal routine for comfort. That all started to change when we won our last two games of the season in horrific fashion."Â
Despite some struggles with starting pitching and on defense, there was a lot of be excited about as the Huskies geared up for its spring break trip that included its American Athletic Conference series opener at Cincinnati. The Huskies were picked third in the preseason conference poll but the Huskies were anxious to prove they were the top team in the league before heading back to the Big East in 2021.
"Most people were impressed with the fact that we took three of four from No. 1 Michigan, said Penders. "I was more buoyed by the ugly W's at Presbyterian on Sunday and at Hartford on Tuesday. We had no business winning either game with how poorly we played, but we did. I let the guys have it after the games, but in all honesty, we kind of had the team exactly where we wanted it when Black Thursday came later that week. When you can manage to win when you stink, that is really a good sign. I thought we were starting to come together and I really like this group a lot. We had good leadership and character, and the lineup and rotation were really starting to take shape. I really believe our defense would have come around, and the guys were beginning to believe in themselves. I felt like that team identity was beginning to reveal itself much sooner than most."Â
Nick Krauth was pitching at an All-American clip with a 4-0 record and miniscule 0.36 ERA in four starts. Joe Simeone was coming off a performance that felt like a coming out party with a career-high six innings of work and 12 strikeouts against Presbyterian. While Colby Dunlop was coming off a bounce back outing as he continued to work on not tipping his pitches.
With the optimism of the starting rotation coming together, paired with a bullpen that was off to a great start. The UConn arms looked like they were going to be dangerous as they continued to get better throughout the season.
That bullpen featured strong performances by veterans Kenneth Haus, Caleb Wurster and Randy Polonia. Haus didn't allow his first hit until 7.1 innings into his season and Wurster had collected a pair of saves and a win with basically just using his fastball. Polonia had his slider back and the redshirt senior's velocity was getting better with each appearance, leading to five strikeouts in 2.1 innings of scoreless ball.
"In what was just a brief snapshot of our capabilities on the mound I think the 2020 season did show two things that have been becoming a trend for our pitching staff," said pitching coach Josh MacDonald. "The first one is that talent seems to leave each season and guys are ready to fill those roles with seamless transition. The second is that another wave of newcomers gave us a good impression that success on the mound should continue in 2021 and beyond."
The most intriguing performances came from the newcomers, Pat Gallagher and Andrew Marrero were impressive in their first few outings of their career, while sophomore Will Lucas came out of nowhere to show he could get anybody out on the hill. The infielder from his freshman year made the switch to the mound and compiled a 2.89 ERA in 9.1 innings of work.
We will never know how the bullpen would have come together, how Jimmy Wang, Angus Mayock and Justin Willis would have impacted the pitching staff while making their way back from injury or how Erik Stock and Reggie Crawford settled into their two-way roles.
Speaking of Crawford and Stock, the two newcomers were off to great starts at the dish for the Huskies. With his .365 AVG, 19 hits, team-leading seven doubles and 16 RBIs, the freshman out of Frackville, Pa. was looking like, at least, a Freshman All-American. Stock took a little longer to insert himself into the lineup but the Old Dominion transfer was raking out of the two-hole and finished third in the country with a .484 batting average.
"Reggie was off to a special start," said associate head coach Jeff Hourigan. "Not just a special start for a freshman but any player. Reggie led the Huskies in RBI's and doubles in the early go. His advanced approach allowed him to hit all levels of pitching and with two strikes. We look forward to Reggie right in the middle of our lineup for years to come."
Couple those two with a breakout sophomore campaign for Kyler Fedko (.412, 21 hits, 2 HR's, 12 RBIs), a surging Chris Winkel (.348, 3 2B's, 5 SB), a steady Christian Fedko (.275, 12 RBIs) in the middle of the order and JUCO transfer Zach Bushling (.286, 7 BB, 3 SB) finding himself in the leadoff spot. Â
"Kyler was really emerging as an elite offensive player," said Hourigan. "Kyler was a hit machine in his first 13 games as he stayed within himself and used the whole field. Not only could Kyler get hits he also had the ability to drive the baseball to all fields. Kyler only struck out four times in 13 games and his next step is being able to steal some bags."
Plus, that doesn't even include the production that captain Paul Gozzo was going to add behind the plate (3 2B's, 2 HR's, 7 RBIs), the ability of Kevin Ferrer to barrel up the baseball and Cole Brodnansky providing  quality when Krauth was on the bump. Add in the return of David Langer, from injury, to help out at third with Todd Petersen and the development of outfielder Ben Maycock and infielder Andy Hague and the UConn offense was looking like it was going to be a major strength.
As we put a bow on the abbreviated 2020 season, there is a lot of uncertainty in the air. But all we can do it look forward. Look towards the Huskies opening up brand-new Elliot Ballpark and a new performance center that will be a true home for the Huskies. Look towards all the talent that the Huskies are getting back in 2021.
Sure, there will be some transfers, some seniors that are unable to come back, but with an expected 2020 MLB Draft that will be shortened and eligibility relief for all players, and a talented freshman class coming to Storrs, the Huskies should bring back a loaded squad in 2021. A roster that will return home to the Big East Conference. But you still can't help but wonder, how far would this 2020 squad have gone?
"Like everyone, I am sad that we'll never know what would have become of the 2020 season, but just like a talented and promising young person that unexpectedly passes away, the 2020 team won't ever be forgotten. I miss those guys very much. We never even got a team picture," said Penders.Â
