University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Hartford
Gardner Exceptional in Huskies 1-0 Win
3/31/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
HARTFORD, Conn. - Another strong pitching performance lifted the Huskies to a 1-0 shutout win against Hartford on Saturday afternoon from Dunkin' Donuts Park.
Chase Gardner dealt with base runners early in the ballgame but was able to strand five in the first three innings. The left hander was helped out by right fielder Isaac Feldstein who threw out a runner at the plate to end the second inning. With runners at the corners and one out a shallow fly ball was hit to right, Feldstein charged, made the catch and fired a strike to Zac Susi who applied the tag.
Gardner settled in and didn't allow a base runner after the third inning. Gardner picked up a career-high seven strikeouts and retired 14 in a row to end the seventh. Gardner picked up his second win of the season.
The Huskies scored the only run of the ballgame in the seventh inning. Christian Fedko and Chris Winkel both singled and Mike Woodworth was hit by a pitch to load the bases. John Toppa crushed a fly ball to the warning track in left centerfield to bring in pinch-runner Conor Moriarty.
The Huskies bullpen closed out the ballgame with P.J. Poulin earning his eighth save after getting the final four outs of the game.
Poulin notched a strike out with the bases loaded and two outs to in the eighth to keep the Huskies ahead 1-0.
In the ninth with the tying run at second base and one out, Poulin executed a perfect pickoff throw to Prato to get the second out.
With the win, the Huskies extended their win streak to four games and moved their record to 15-9. Up next, the Huskies face Fairfield on Tuesday, April 3 at 3 p.m. at J.O. Christian Field.
Notes
With Chase Gardner's seven shutout innings on Saturday, UConn starting pitchers have logged 35 consecutive scoreless frames.
