UConn defeated UMass Lowell for their first Opening Day victory since 2012. (Jason Jiang/The Daily Campus)
The UConn men’s baseball team started off their reason on the right foot this weekend, going 3-1 against UMass-Lowell in a four-game series.
The Huskies won the first three games of the series, before dropping the series finale.
With the win UConn collected its first Opening Day victory since 2012 when they defeated Indiana in the Big East/Big Ten Challenge, 8-0.
On Opening Day lefthander Tim Cate led the Huskies to a 5-3 win. The sophomore pitched 7.1 innings and struck out 12 batters in the process. Cate also left the game with no earned runs.
Freshmen carried the UConn offense on opening day as Anthony Prato and Conor Moriarty combined for three RBI’s in the win.
Friday’s win was especially meaningful for the Huskies, as it marked Ryan Radue’s return to the mound. Radue was able to pitch UConn out of a threat with a strikeout in the eighth inning, before junior pitcher John Russell closed the game out in the ninth.
Saturday the Huskies picked up where they left off, winning both games of the doubleheader to seal the series.
In game one, William Montgomerie pitched six innings and allowed two earned runs in the 7-3 win. Despite being outhit 9-6, the Huskies were able to grind out a win due to River Hawks’ mistakes. Lowell players issued three walks, four hit-by-pitches, committed two errors and threw two wild pitches.
Prato once again had a strong game at the plate, going 2-3 and driving in two RBI’s. The shortstop also stole three bases, including home.
In game two, Isaac Feldstein and Moriarty stepped up for the Huskies. Feldstein went 2-3 with a two-run home run, while Moriarty sealed the game with a home run in the eighth inning. Moriarty had three hits and three RBI’s in the game.
Freshman pitcher Mason Feole earned his first career win going six innings and holding the River Hawks to just one run.
The Huskies dropped the season finale 11-8, as Lowell was finally able to get some runs on the board.
After Doug Domnarski gave up six earned runs the Huskies brought the lead within one run, but that was as close as they would get. Prato and Feldstein continued their red hot starts at the plate in the loss, combining for seven hits in nine at bats.
Next week the Huskies will travel to Austin to take on the Texas Longhorns in a three game road series.
Antonio Salazar is a staff writer for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at antonio.salazar@uconn.edu.