The University of Connecticut baseball team (21-20, 7-5) dropped their weekend series against St. John’s University (20-19, 7-2) following a loss during Friday’s game and during game one of the doubleheader on Saturday. The Huskies closed out the series, though, with a dominant 10-0 win.
St. John’s had a shutout 4-0 victory against the Huskies on Friday night at Elliot Ballpark with UConn struggling to get on the scoreboard. This was the first game ever that the Huskies were shut out on home territory.
Fourth-semester right-handed pitcher Liam O’Leary pitched a complete game shutout for St. John’s and held the Huskies to only four hits, with two of them coming from fourth-semester Jackson Marshall. Cam Righi and Chris Cancel contributed to the other two hits of the night.
Sixth-semester left-handed pitcher Charlie West pitched eight innings for UConn and successfully struck out 10 St. John’s players.
With no runs scored and limited hits, UConn looked to get back in the winning column during their double header on Saturday.
In game one of the double header, fourth-semester left-handed pitcher Cayden Suchy pitched an impressive 7.1 innings, allowing two earned runs while striking out 10.
St. John’s got the scoring started in the second inning and earned another run in the third. UConn quickly responded in the fourth when fourth-semester infielder Evan Menzel reached first base after an error by St. John’s which sent sixth-semester first baseman Maddix Dalena home to put the Huskies on the scoreboard.
In the sixth, Menzel hit an RBI to send Nater Wachter in to score from third to tie the game 2-2. Dalena was able to score shortly after a SAC bunt from Anthony Belisario to give the Huskies their first lead of the game.
St. John’s responded in the eighth, bringing in a run to tie the game, but UConn gained their lead back when Belisario singled through the right side to bring in Menzel and Wachter for a 5-3 lead.
In the top of the ninth, St. John’s responded with three runs to put them ahead of the Huskies 6-5. UConn was unable to score in the bottom of the ninth to fall in game one.
During the second game of the doubleheader, UConn responded to the loss with a dominate shutout performance of their own, defeating St. John’s 10-0.
Belisario had an impressive game, bringing in three runs for the Huskies. Righi brought in three runs with an RBI as well.
Left-handed pitcher Oliver Pudvar pitched his second straight seven-inning complete game shutout with a combination of UConn hitters scoring 10 runs on 13 hits.
Rob Rispoli and Belisario each had a three-hit game with Rispoli tying his season-high three runs batted in.
During the shutout victory, Marshall extended his hitting streak to 15 games to help the Huskies secure a victory.
Looking ahead, UConn faces off against the University of Rhode Island at Dunkin’ Park on Tuesday with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.