Justin Willis

UConn Baseball vs Seton Hall game 1 at Elliot Ballpark May 21, 2021

Photo by: Stephen Slade

UConn vs Boston College at Elliot Ballpark, March 30, 2021

Photo by: Stephen Slade

Position:
Right-Handed Pitcher
Height:
5-8
Weight:
202
Class:
Graduate Student
Hometown:
West New York, N.J.
Prev School:
Vanderbilt
High School:
Memorial HS

2023 Season: Closes his career as the UConn all-time saves leader with 28 career saves. Finished the season with 12 saves in 2023, becoming the first UConn pitcher in program history to record multiple double digit save seasons. Tied for 14th with 64 career appearances. Second Team ABCA All-Northeast Region. Appeared in 24 games in 2023, going 3-3 with a 3.04 ERA. In 23.2 innings, walked just 11, struck out 29 and held opponents to a team-low .190 batting average against. Got the final two outs vs. Ohio State (2/19) to grab first save of the season. Threw a pair of scoreless innings at FAU (3/3-4) to notch a pair of saves against the Owls. Worked a scoreless inning at Hawaii (3/13). Tied a season-high with 1.2 innings at St. John's (4/6) to earn his fifth save of the year. Got the final two outs at Xavier (4/14) to close out a road series win. Passed Mike James for the all-time saves record with his save vs. Georgetown (4/22). Went 1.2 innings and struck out a pair vs. Seton Hall (5/6) to earn the win in extras. Notched a pair of saves in the BIG EAST Championship vs. Georgetown (5/24) and vs. Xavier (5/26). Closed out an NCAA Tournament win vs. Florida A&M (6/3) in the NCAA Gainesville Regional.

2022 Season: First Team ABCA All-Northeast Region. Second Team All-New England. Ranked third in the country with 15 saves. Appeared in 24 games out of the bullpen. Went 2-1 with a 5.54 ERA. Tossed 26.0 innings and struck out 44 while holding opponents to a .240 batting average against. Came on in the 10th inning and struck out a pair in scoreless frame to earn save at USF (2/18). Picked up the victory at UNF (2/27) with three strikeouts in 1.1 shutout frames. Pitched 1.2 shutout innings to lock down save vs. URI (3/27). Picked up a pair of saves at Kent State (/4/1-4/2). Came on to secure final out to lock down save at Seton Hall (4/16). Got final two outs vs. Villanova to secure save in series opener (4/22). Pitched a perfect 10th inning to close out Northeastern (4/26). Pitched a scoreless frame at Butler (4/29) to earn 11th save of the season. Combined 1.1 shutout innings to lock down a pair of saves vs. Creighton (5/6-5/7). Did not allow a base runner in 1.2 shutout innings to earn win vs. Wake Forest (6/3) in College Park Regional. Recorded 13th save of the year with 1.2 innings at No. 15 Maryland (6/4) in College Park Regional. Closed out College Park Regional title with 2.0 perfect innings at No. 15 Maryland (6/6). Got the final three outs at No. 2 Stanford to earn Huskies first-ever Super Regional victory (6/11).

2021 Season: Pitched in 16 games out of the bullpen, going 4-0 with a 2.60 ERA. Threw 17.1 innings and struck out 20 while holding opponent's to a .138 average against. Struck out the only batter he faced at No. 9 Texas Tech (3/12) in first appearance as a Husky. Did not allow a run in first 7.0 innings on the mound for the Huskies. Earned first win out of the pen with 2.0 scoreless innings vs. URI (3/27). Collected victory with a scoreless frame vs. Bryant (4/6). Fired 2.0 shutout innings vs. Seton Hall (5/22) to notch victory out of the pen. Captured victory in the BIG EAST Championship game vs. Xavier with 2.0 innings of work and career-high five strikeouts vs. Xavier (5/30).

2020 Season: Did not see game action due to injury.

Transfer from Vanderbilt University.

2019 Season - Did not appear in a game

2018 Season – Made 10 relief appearances during his freshman campaign, posting a 0-0 record alongside a 7.59 ERA… Did not allow an earned run in five of his first six appearances including his first four outings… Tossed a season-high 3.2 innings against Louisville on May 1, limiting the Cardinals to one run while striking out one and scattering four hits… Made his collegiate debut on Feb. 21 against Presbyterian, permitting two hits in 1.1 scoreless frames… Struck out two batters on a pair of occasions, coming in 0.2 hitless frames against Louisiana (March 3) and Mississippi State (March 17)… Limited opponents to one hit or less in seven of his 10 appearances and fanned at least one batter six times… Did not permit an extra-base hit during his first six appearances and allowed just three on the season.

High School – Lettered two years in baseball at St. Joseph High School and two years in basketball at Memorial High School under coach Danny Marroquin… also lettered two years in basketball…helped the Tigers to a County Championship as a senior… named Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American, Northeast — All Region first-team, All-Conference, and team captain as a senior… named Rawlings-Perfect Game 2016 Underclass third-team and team captain as a junior… helped St. Joseph to a top-5 ranking in New Jersey as a sophomore… named All-State, All-Conference and team captain as a sophomore… helped St. Joseph to a top-5 ranking in New Jersey as a freshman… named All-State and All-Conference as a freshman… played summer ball for the Evoshield Canes… was on the Dean’s List all four years of high school… played high school and/or summer ball with Austin Weiermiller (Stanford), Mackenzie Gore (1st round, 2017, San Diego), and Jordan Adell (1st round, 2017, Los Angeles — AL).

Personal – Justin James Willis. Parents are Albert and Janette Aguero… father played Division III baseball at Stevens Institute… has one sister, Athena.