HookC Secures Emphatic Win vs. Louisville, 9-2

Sunday, February 20

Tampa, FL

9:00 AM

University of Connecticut

2-1

University of Louisville

1-2

Louisville

Connecticut

2/20/2022 7:29:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

TAMPA, Fla. – The UConn baseball team (2-1) secured a winning weekend in the USF Invitational with a 9-2 triumph against Louisville on Sunday morning at Red McEwen Field.

Graduate student Enzo Stefanoni was brilliant in his first start at UConn. The Harvard graduate provided 6.2 shutouts innings scattering seven hits, no walks and eight strikeouts. The right-hander kept the Cardinals off balance all day and when he dealt Louisville rallies was able to buckle down and end their threats.

UConn jumped out to a 1-0 in the first on the strength of a Kevin Ferrer RBI double. Ferrer picked up the UConn offense after back-to-back strikeouts put runners at the corners with two outs. The UConn designated hitter stepped to the plate and smoked a double over the left fielder's head to jump ahead.

The Huskies capitalized on a pair of Louisville errors to plate a run and place a runner at third base. 5 YR SR Zach Bushling followed with his first home run of the season, a two-run shot, to make it 4-0 Huskies. Bushling had a standout day at the plate with a four-hit day.

With the Huskies leading 4-0 in the sixth, Louisville applied pressure by putting runners at the corners with one out. Stefanoni coaxed a fly ball to right field that UConn right fielder Casey Dana lined up and gunned out Cam Masterman at the plate to keep the Cardinals scoreless.

UConn blew the game open in the seventh with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Chris Brown. Matt Donlan quickly followed with his first career homer, a three-run shot, made it 8-0 UConn.

Jack Sullivan came out of the pen and tossed 1.1 scoreless innings while Justin Willis secured the final three outs in the ninth.

Next up, the Huskies will play a three-game series in Jacksonville, Fla. against North Florida, beginning on Friday, February 25.

Game Notes

The Huskies have captured winning weekends to open the season in four of the last five seasons.
Zach Bushling tied his career-high with a four-hit day at the plate.
Kevin Ferrer is 4-4 at the plate this season and reached all five times.
UConn has won three of its last four meetings against Louisville.