Since returning to the Big East Conference in 2020, the UConn baseball team has played the Xavier Musketeers in the championship round three times. Connecticut captured the tournament crown the first two times, but Xavier got their revenge last spring for their first automatic bid since 2017.
Both programs begin the grind of the 21-game Big East slate against each other this weekend at Elliot Ballpark. If their five meetings in 2023 were any indicator, this should be another high-scoring series.
UConn’s grueling non-conference schedule has not been kind. At 10-15, the Huskies have two fewer losses through 25 games than last season. Even with their early struggles, Connecticut still possesses an aggressive offense.
It starts with senior outfielder Korey Morton and graduate infielder Paul Tammaro, the only two Hook C players who have played every game. Morton might not have recorded a hit since his 10-game hitting streak, but his seven stolen bases make him a very dangerous speedster.
Tammaro has shared the lead-off position with the senior outfielder several times so far this season. The graduate infielder has shined in an increased role with a .308 batting average and eight swiped bags, while matching his home run total from last season. No one gets on base more often than Tammaro does, and that number could increase this weekend as conference play commences.
Big East Preseason Player of the Year Jake Studley could be in for a huge weekend. The graduate right fielder had his first-career four-hit game in UConn’s 14-6 victory over the CCSU Blue Devils Monday, a continuation of his three-hit performance versus the Northeastern Huskies. Studley’s 56-point improvement in his batting average could be a sign of things to come. Junior catcher Matt Garbowski has also seen the ball well with hits in five out of his last six games. With a .282 batting average and 20 hits to his name, watch for the New Fairfield native to get on base this weekend.
Outside of those four hitters, expect big performances from graduate infielder Luke Broadhurst and redshirt junior Bryan Padilla. Broadhurst has displayed discipline at the plate and has as many RBIs as he has hits (15) in 19 games. Padilla enters Big East action on a six-game hitting streak and homered twice the last time the Nutmeg State’s Huskies played in a weekend series.
Big East Preseason Pitcher of the Year Stephen Quigley, six days removed from tossing 3.2 innings in Monday afternoon’s battle, will likely start Sunday’s series finale. Should Quigley throw the arsenal he used in his complete game that salvaged Connecticut’s series against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, the Musketeers’ offense may struggle for at least six innings.
Graduate lefties Gabe Van Emon and Garrett Coe, meanwhile, should get the nod for the first two games. Although Van Emon sports a 3.77 ERA and has lost his last three starts, a quality start could be significant for the battle-tested Hook C rotation. A major bounce back performance from Coe, who pitched four innings of relief in Monday’s contest, could possibly be in play this weekend.
Xavier may be 14-14 and possess a losing record away from home, but they are as formidable of a foe as anyone UConn has faced. The Musketeers notably handed the defending College World Series champion LSU Tigers their second loss of the season in their house on Mar. 10.
Senior righty Nick Boyle allowed one unearned run in five innings against the Tigers that Sunday afternoon. Boyle followed that seven-strikeout performance with seven innings of one-run ball and 11 punchouts against the Indiana State Sycamores. Although he has allowed 10 runs in his last two starts, the Kentucky native enters this weekend seeking his second quality start.
Boyle is not the team’s ace, however. That honor belongs to junior righty Luke Hoskins, whose 6.92 ERA is deceiving. Hoskins has as many strikeouts as Boyle does, and while he surrenders multiple extra-base hits in his outings, he seldom hands out free passes. The Colorado native’s five walks are the fewest among any Xavier pitcher with 15+ innings logged.
That leaves fellow junior Logan Schmidt as the man in the middle. Although he has pitched more than five innings just once, Schmidt is six days removed from a nine-strikeout performance and rarely allows his opponents to do extensive damage offensively. No team has had more than five hits against the junior righty, and if he finds his command early, the Huskies may be put on that list.
No Musketeer has been hotter than graduate infielder Jared Cushing, who had a 1.579 OPS and seven RBIs last weekend. Cushing, an All-Big East Second Team selection last season, can get it done at the plate and on the basepaths. The graduate infielder enters this weekend with a hit in 12 out of his last 13 games and is the only Xavier player with 5+ stolen bases.
While he is batting .255, Cushing is not as much of an all-around threat as senior infielder Matt McCormick is. On top of batting .308 with 32 hits, McCormick has mashed a team-leading 10 longballs and possesses a 1.055 OPS. With three doubles to boot, any opposing defense is almost immediately in trouble when the Chicago native makes contacts. Only sophomore catcher Hayden Christiansen has more hits than McCormick at 33. Christiansen makes up for not having much power with six doubles and composure behind the dish.
Juniors Luke Hammond and Aedan Anderson give Xavier a very lethal heart of the order. Hammond enters this weekend with seven hits and seven RBIs in his last five games. Anderson has just 17 hits, but his .594 slugging percentage is second-best among all qualified players.
First pitch Friday is at 3:05 p.m., Saturday’s is at 2:05 p.m. and Sunday’s is at 11:05 a.m. All three games are on the Big East Digital Network.