HookC Wins Series at Cal Baptist, 6-2

Sunday, March 17

Riverside, CA

5:00 PM

University of Connecticut

7-10

Cal Baptist

13-7

Connecticut

California Baptist

3/17/2024 9:37:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The UConn baseball team (7-10) won its first series of the season with a gutsy 6-2 win at Cal Baptist on Sunday afternoon at Totman Stadium.

A four-run eighth inning proved to be the difference as the Huskies have won four of their last five games.

Sunday's game provided plenty of back and forth drama between the Huskies and Lancers as the two battled it out in the rubber game of the series.

The Huskies looked to jump in front in the top of the second with Luke Broadhurst and Jake Studley recorded back-to-back singles to place runners at first and second with one out.

Centerfielder T.C. Simmons followed with a single to right but right fielder Nick Dumesnil came up throwing and was able to throw out Broadhurst to keep the game scoreless.

The Lancers immediately answered in their half of the second with a leadoff home run from Julian Alvarez.

In the fourth, Jake Studley led off the frame with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Simmons. Maddix Dalena followed with an RBI single to even the score, 1-1.

In the fifth inning, Cal Baptist placed runners at second and third with no one out against UConn starter Stephen Quigley. Left-hander Braden Quinn came out of the bullpen and immediately got a comebacker to the mound for out number one and then struck out back-to-back batters to keep the game tied.

Luke Broadhurst followed with a leadoff homer in the sixth, his second of the year, to give UConn its first lead of the game, 2-1.

In the bottom half of the sixth, Quinn received some help from his defense with Simmons making a fantastic catch to keep the Huskies ahead.

However, Gunner Antillon followed with his third hit of the game to even the score at 2-2. With two outs and runners at first and second, RHP Tommy Ellisen came out of the pen and was able to induce a pop out to second to keep the game tied.

The score remained 2-2 until the eighth, senior Korey Morton led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a Matt Garbowski sacrifice bunt. After a fly out to right was too shallow to score Morton, Studley walked and Simmons was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Bryan Padilla followed with a bases loaded walk to give UConn the lead back 3-2. A pitch later, Dalena smoked a two-run single into center to provide some insurance for the Huskies.

After a pitching change, the Huskies ran a double steal that allowed pinch runner Tyler Minick to score to push the UConn lead to 6-2.

RHP Brady Afthim came out of the pen and closed it out with the final six outs of the ballgame to earn the series victory for the Huskies.

UConn returns back to the East Coast to play at Rhode Island on Tuesday, March 19 at 3 p.m. at Bill Beck Field.

Game Notes

Maddix Dalena entered Sunday 0-9 with runners in scoring position but came through with two hits that drove in three runs in the rubber game. The three hits for the sophomore is a new career-high.
Paul Tammaro registered his first four-hit game of 2024 and second of his UConn career.
UConn recorded a season-high 13 hits on Sunday.
The Huskies finished their spring break trip 4-4, winning four of the last five.