University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Xavier University
No. 20 HookC Rallies With Long Ball to Beat No. 30 Xavier, 7-6
4/14/2023 8:57:00 PM | Baseball
CINCINNATI - The No. 20 UConn baseball team (25-8, 3-1 BIG EAST) rallied from three runs down to defeat No. 30 Xavier (21-13, 3-1 BIG EAST), 7-6, on a steamy Friday afternoon at Hayden Field.Â
The Huskies hit four home runs including back-to-back homers from Ben Huber and Jake Studley in the seventh to take a 7-6 lead. It completed the seventh win this season when the Huskies have trailed after five.Â
Luke Broadhurst led the way at the plate with a four-hit day that included a pair of home runs. The Stafford Springs, Conn. native got the Huskies on the board with a solo shot in the second inning to make it 1-0 Huskies.
The designated hitter then stepped to the plate in the sixth inning with UConn trailing, 6-3, and  hit a no-doubt two-run bomb to cut the deficit to one, 6-5.
The UConn bullpen excelled on Friday with 4.2 shutout frames to close out the one-run victory.Â
Devin Kirby kept the game at 6-3 with the bases loaded and two outs with a fielder's choice to keep the Huskies within striking distance. In the seventh, Tommy Ellisen came on with runners at first and second and one down. The Kimberly, Wisc. native got a pop up and ground out to Bryan Padilla at short to keep the Huskies ahead, 7-6.Â
Zach Fogell pitched a scoreless eighth and then allowed a lead off single in the ninth. After a sacrifice bunt advanced the tying run into scoring position, the Huskies called on their closer Justin Willis.Â
The right-hander got a fly out from Jared Cushing on the first pitch of his outing and then stranded the tying run at third with a strikeout of Alex Helmin.
For Willis, it was his 22nd career save as a Husky, tying Mike James (2001-04) for most in a UConn career.
The Huskies and Musketeers will wrap up its series with a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. on Saturday.Â
Game Notes
- Luke Broadhurst became the second Husky this season to register a four-hit game (Freeberger, 3/12 at Hawaii). The designated htter also became the first Husky to notch a pair of multi-homer games this season (vs. Cal Poly).
- The comeback victory was the fifth when trailing after six innings and seventh when trailing after five innings this season.
- UConn is now 4-0 in one-run ball games this year.
- The Huskies notched their 17th game this season in which they didn't commit an error.Â
- UConn is now 7-1 this season when they hit multiple homers in a game.Â
- The pitching staff has now recorded double digit strikeouts in five of the last six games. They have 16 of those this season.
