HookC Squares Off Against UNCW

Friday, February 27

Wilmington, NC

7:00 PM

University of Connecticut

UNC Wilmington

2/26/2026 10:14:00 PM | Baseball

Game Notes

WILMINGTON, N.C. - The UConn baseball team (3-5) returns to action this weekend for a three-game series at UNC Wilmington (5-4) beginning on Friday, February 27 at 4 p.m. Saturday's game is also set for a 4 p.m. start and Sunday's series finale begins at 1 p.m. All three games will be video streamed on FloCollege and can be heard for free on MIXLR.

The Huskies come into the weekend with some momentum on the diamond after winning three-of-four at Arizona last weekend in Tucson, Ariz. However, the Huskies are fighting through injuries with Tyler Minick, Connor Lane, Evan Menzel, Rob Rispoli and Anthony Belisario all dealing with injuries.

UNCW is 5-4 to begin the season with a series loss to Maryland to open the season and then took the series against Fordham last weekend. JP Pennella is leading the offense with a .522 batting average with a 1.308 OPS. Trevor Lucas leads the team with two homers and nine runs batted in. Cooper Allen leads the pitching staff with a 2-0 mark in two starts. Pitching 11.0 innings and allowing zero walks and striking out 15.

Big 12 Series Win... Last weekend the Huskies went to Tucson, Ariz. for the first time in program history and won three-of-four in its series against the Wildcats. It is the first time in program history the Huskies had won a series against a current Big 12 team (won series against UCF and Houston but was when they were in the American Athletic Conference).

The Huskies starting pitching was excellent with Charlie Hale (5.2), Charlie West (6.2), Cayden Suchy (6.2) and Oliver Pudvar (5.1) all working into the sixth inning or later and allowing two runs or fewer. The pitching staff posted a shutout performance in game two, the first for UConn since April 16, 2024 against Kansas State.

Jackson Marshall (3 RBI) and Maddix Dalena (6 RBI) carried the offense early on in the series with nine of the 10 RBI coming in the first two wins. The offense broke out big time in the series finale with the Huskies scoring a season-high 11 runs and scored in seven of their nine at bats and posted a season-high five extra base hits to clinch the series.

Extra Extra... After starting the year 0-4, it took the Huskies a little longer to secure its first win in the series opener with a 12-inning battle against the Wildcats. The Huskies scored three runs in the 12th on a Jackson Marshall RBI single and Maddix Dalena two-run single to secure the win. Greg Shaw III shined out of the pen with 5.0 innings of one-run ball and Sean Finn relieved Shaw by getting the final out of the ballgame on a strikeout. The 12 innings was the longest game UConn has played since playing 12 innings in game two of the 2024 Tallahassee Super Regionals against Florida State.

Marshall Mash... First baseman/DH Jackson Marshall has burst onto the scene in his first week in Storrs. The 6'8 sophomore is hard to miss especially with the numbers he's put up so far. Marshall leads the team in the majority of offensive categories with a .371 batting average, 13 hits, two home runs, .600 slugging percentage and 1.063 OPS. His first home run as a Husky was a 430 ft shot at 110 mph off Arizona State ace Kole Klecker. Five of Marshall's eight games have been multi-hit efforts this year. Marshall has also reached base in all eight games this season.

Hale of a Start... Charlie Hale impressed in his first start as a Husky to open a four-game set at Arizona. The RHP sliced and diced a heavy left-handed hitting lineup with 5.2 innings of work, one run allowed and struck out seven. Whether he finds a spot in the rotation or bullpen he should be a weapon on the UConn pitching staff.

Everyday Ev... Sophomore Evan Menzel has solidified his position in the UConn infield with major consistency to start the year. The Coventry, Conn. native has reached safely in seven of the eight games this season and has registered three multi-hit and multi-RBI games. He leads the team with three stolen bases and three doubles. Menzel did sustain a broken finger injury in the final game of the Arizona series but will attempt to play this weekend against UNCW.

Not Nate, It's Nater.. Junior Nater Wachter has gotten off to a slow start in 2026 but showed his potential in the series finale at Arizona. The Southern New Hampshire transfer hit his first home run of the season, an opposite field blast that traveled 454 feet. Wachter finished the day with his first multi-hit game and drove in three. The athletic outfielder has also shown he can play CF or the corner outfield spots.

Fresh Baby Faces... The Huskies two freshmen position players, Cam Righi and Bryce Detwiler knocked out some memorable milestones at Arizona State. Both came off the bench and recorded their first hits along with some other firsts. Righi hit a two-run home run in his very first collegiate at-bat in the sixth inning. Detwiler, posted a mult-hit effort including his first run batted in. The future is bright for these two young Huskies

Tough MLB Invitational... The Huskies got off to a tough start to the year in the MLB Desert Invitational by losing all three games. The pitching staff allowed 31 runs including a combined nine runs in the first inning. The offense was held to 11 runs and left 27 on the bases.

Missing Minick... Junior Tyler Minick has missed the last five games for the Huskies with injury and is out indefinitely. A 2025 Second Team NCBWA All-American, he was off the a hot start 6-14 (.429) with a double and pair of runs batted in.

The Reading, Pa. native led the BIG EAST Conference and nearly set the program record with 22 home runs in 2025. The mark ranked eigth nationally. He finished first in the BIG EAST with 157 total bases and was second in the league with 74 RBI. In total, he hit .355 with 76 hits including 11 doubles, 15 stolen bases and slugged .734. The corner infielder will shift to the outfield to begin the season and was voted a team captain by the team. Minick was also named an NCBWA Second Team Preseason All-American and Preseason All-BIG EAST selection.