2021 UConn Baseball Schedule

[Tmill15]

I hope we still find a weekend to match up with them since they r a top team in the conference

 

[dbmill]

I hope we still find a weekend to match up with them since they r a top team in the conference

It would certainly be great to play them. However, I'm thinking the only way it happens is that there are more Big East teams that get a Covid shutdown period, resulting in the healthy teams doing a bit of a conference rescheduling.

 

[huskymedic]

The Creighton coach provides an overview of the Big East teams starting @ the 10:50 +/- mark:

 

[Bloomers]

I'm nervous about the Xavier series next weekend. I really wish I could be a fly on the wall and see what is going on internally in regards to covid. How many have come down with symptoms? How many positives? Who will be cleared for travel and available to play next week? Will they be able to schedule games to make up for the 7 (so far) cancelled? Argh! Covid sucks!

 

[dbmill]

I'm nervous about the Xavier series next weekend. I really wish I could be a fly on the wall and see what is going on internally in regards to covid. How many have come down with symptoms? How many positives? Who will be cleared for travel and available to play next week? Will they be able to schedule games to make up for the 7 (so far) cancelled? Argh! Covid sucks!

Before the Covid cancellations UConn baseball had 59 games on its schedule, which is 3 games over the 56 regular season limit set by the NCAA, no doubt with the idea that they were going to lose some games either to the pandemic or to the weather. So it they were able to, UConn would only have to make up 4 games in order to play 56 during the regular season.

However, that being said, I think it unlikely that UConn baseball will make up these games. Every Big East Conference weekend from here on out already has four games already scheduled, so they would not be able to add games on the weekends. As for midweek games, I doubt there is too much flexibility there as well to add games at this point. There are no games scheduled in the mid week next week, but who knows if UConn will be medically cleared to play by that time. As for the following weeks, UConn has a trip to Boston College scheduled during the last week of April. The first week of May is open, but I believe that is finals week, and UConn baseball has never scheduled midweek games during finals. The following two weeks in May UConn already has two games scheduled against Northeastern and a game at Rhode Island. After that, the regular season is over.

 

[huskymedic]

Misery loves company:

 

[huskymedic]

I'm nervous about the Xavier series next weekend. I really wish I could be a fly on the wall and see what is going on internally in regards to covid. How many have come down with symptoms? How many positives? Who will be cleared for travel and available to play next week? Will they be able to schedule games to make up for the 7 (so far) cancelled? Argh! Covid sucks!

Update (hit hyperlink for full article):

-> UConn baseball rolled into a weekend series with Georgetown at Elliot Ballpark last weekend with as much momentum as it had all season. The Huskies, then winners of five straight, had settled into a groove after a sub-.500 start to the season.

Then COVID-19 hit. The baseball team has had nine positive cases in the last eight days, causing the cancellation of six games so far.“The first one came back last Thursday and that turned into some contacts,” UConn baseball coach Jim Penders said.

Before last Friday’s game, another player reported feeling ill and was sent for tests. The Huskies were cleared to start their series against the Hoyas and won on Friday. During the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, the player’s positive result was confirmed. The schools were allowed to finish the game after communication with doctors at both schools, with UConn winning in seven innings for their seventh victory in a row.

“I had to make a decision in that moment,” Penders said. “I quickly decided, yes, I had to tell the team. I don’t like leaving them in the dark, treating them like children. As soon as I told them, it felt like last March 12. Just a pall came over the dugout. ‘We’ve got to take care of business. Who knows when we’re going to be allowed to do this again, try to enjoy it.’ I don’t think we enjoyed it all that much.”

On Monday, there were four more positives. By Tuesday, there were seven among 41 players, plus a coach and a student manager. The team is in suspension for now with the series at Creighton this weekend canceled. The team hopes with no more positives they can begin conditioning work and small-group workouts and possibly play at Xavier next weekend, perhaps moving the series to Saturday-Monday to have more players cleared. <-

->UConn’s baseball team played 13 games before the 2020 season was shut down and have had about 20 positives in the program since last August, Penders said. They’ve played 28 games so far, but only two Big East games. With players scheduled to getting their first vaccination shots this week, Penders is hoping to get enough conference games (14) to qualify for the Big East Tournament.

“Other sports are more concerned about legs and cardio, we’re more concerned about arms,” Penders said. “I’m hopeful this will not be blown up, we can get through this. It felt like last March 12 at that moment, I’ve spent the last six days trying to be optimistic.”


** if you need 14 conference games to qualify for BE tourney and we already have 2 in the books - there are 20 remaining BE games scheduled to get 10 more games completed **

 

[Skiblets]

I can see the games played criteria being adjusted. Both in conference and for
NCAA

 

[businesslawyer]

Ugh. Nine positives is more than anyone would have hoped. I wonder if they will have to/get to choose between cancelling Xavier or playing with a small squad.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Update (hit hyperlink for full article):

-> UConn baseball rolled into a weekend series with Georgetown at Elliot Ballpark last weekend with as much momentum as it had all season. The Huskies, then winners of five straight, had settled into a groove after a sub-.500 start to the season.

Then COVID-19 hit. The baseball team has had nine positive cases in the last eight days, causing the cancellation of six games so far.“The first one came back last Thursday and that turned into some contacts,” UConn baseball coach Jim Penders said.

Before last Friday’s game, another player reported feeling ill and was sent for tests. The Huskies were cleared to start their series against the Hoyas and won on Friday. During the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, the player’s positive result was confirmed. The schools were allowed to finish the game after communication with doctors at both schools, with UConn winning in seven innings for their seventh victory in a row.

“I had to make a decision in that moment,” Penders said. “I quickly decided, yes, I had to tell the team. I don’t like leaving them in the dark, treating them like children. As soon as I told them, it felt like last March 12. Just a pall came over the dugout. ‘We’ve got to take care of business. Who knows when we’re going to be allowed to do this again, try to enjoy it.’ I don’t think we enjoyed it all that much.”

On Monday, there were four more positives. By Tuesday, there were seven among 41 players, plus a coach and a student manager. The team is in suspension for now with the series at Creighton this weekend canceled. The team hopes with no more positives they can begin conditioning work and small-group workouts and possibly play at Xavier next weekend, perhaps moving the series to Saturday-Monday to have more players cleared. <-

->UConn’s baseball team played 13 games before the 2020 season was shut down and have had about 20 positives in the program since last August, Penders said. They’ve played 28 games so far, but only two Big East games. With players scheduled to getting their first vaccination shots this week, Penders is hoping to get enough conference games (14) to qualify for the Big East Tournament.

“Other sports are more concerned about legs and cardio, we’re more concerned about arms,” Penders said. “I’m hopeful this will not be blown up, we can get through this. It felt like last March 12 at that moment, I’ve spent the last six days trying to be optimistic.”


** if you need 14 conference games to qualify for BE tourney and we already have 2 in the books - there are 20 remaining BE games scheduled to get 10 more games completed **

That just sucks...

 

[dbmill]

Update (hit hyperlink for full article):

-> UConn baseball rolled into a weekend series with Georgetown at Elliot Ballpark last weekend with as much momentum as it had all season. The Huskies, then winners of five straight, had settled into a groove after a sub-.500 start to the season.

Then COVID-19 hit. The baseball team has had nine positive cases in the last eight days, causing the cancellation of six games so far.“The first one came back last Thursday and that turned into some contacts,” UConn baseball coach Jim Penders said.

Before last Friday’s game, another player reported feeling ill and was sent for tests. The Huskies were cleared to start their series against the Hoyas and won on Friday. During the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, the player’s positive result was confirmed. The schools were allowed to finish the game after communication with doctors at both schools, with UConn winning in seven innings for their seventh victory in a row.

“I had to make a decision in that moment,” Penders said. “I quickly decided, yes, I had to tell the team. I don’t like leaving them in the dark, treating them like children. As soon as I told them, it felt like last March 12. Just a pall came over the dugout. ‘We’ve got to take care of business. Who knows when we’re going to be allowed to do this again, try to enjoy it.’ I don’t think we enjoyed it all that much.”

On Monday, there were four more positives. By Tuesday, there were seven among 41 players, plus a coach and a student manager. The team is in suspension for now with the series at Creighton this weekend canceled. The team hopes with no more positives they can begin conditioning work and small-group workouts and possibly play at Xavier next weekend, perhaps moving the series to Saturday-Monday to have more players cleared. <-

->UConn’s baseball team played 13 games before the 2020 season was shut down and have had about 20 positives in the program since last August, Penders said. They’ve played 28 games so far, but only two Big East games. With players scheduled to getting their first vaccination shots this week, Penders is hoping to get enough conference games (14) to qualify for the Big East Tournament.

“Other sports are more concerned about legs and cardio, we’re more concerned about arms,” Penders said. “I’m hopeful this will not be blown up, we can get through this. It felt like last March 12 at that moment, I’ve spent the last six days trying to be optimistic.”


** if you need 14 conference games to qualify for BE tourney and we already have 2 in the books - there are 20 remaining BE games scheduled to get 10 more games completed **

So UConn has had four games more games cancelled in addition to the two games that were cancelled from the Georgetown series last weekend. It seems the Hoyas have come out of their games with UConn unscathed on the Covid front. Georgetown lost a game in the midweek to Towson, and last night they started a series with St. John's, winning the first game 5-1. So for now Georgetown is still playing ball.

Meanwhile the Bryant Bulldogs played UConn just before the Huskies played Georgetown. After having their April 13 game with UConn cancelled, their series against Sacred Heart this weekend has also been postponed.

 

[huskymedic]

Meanwhile the Bryant Bulldogs played UConn just before the Huskies played Georgetown. After having their April 13 game with UConn cancelled, their series against Sacred Heart this weekend has also been postponed.

So many variables in trying to connect dots but it seems poor Bryant has had multiple pauses this year...

 

[dbmill]

So many variables in trying to connect dots but it seems poor Bryant has had multiple pauses this year...

So true in terms of all the variables. Then of course, there is the UConn athletics variable. It seems that pretty much every UConn athletics team that has done anything this spring has also had to pause at some point. Football had to end spring practice early, and pretty much almost every team that has played this spring has had games cancelled at some point. Based on that, I have to consider baseball to have been lucky to get as far as it did on its schedule before its recent Covid pause.

 

[Steve UConn72]

I wouldn't be surprised if conferences change to opening up their tournaments to all teams that are able to play at the end of the season. Just make it a double elimination tourney, with maybe some byes. The cream should rise to the top. Either that or just extend the season a week or so after finals (or whenever it would have come to a close) to add a couple of weekend series. The players need/deserve it, and, frankly, so do the fans who are desperate to see some semblance of normalcy return.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[dbmill]

The key words are "scheduling conflict". If the Xavier series is being rescheduled to start on Saturday instead of Friday, and ending on Monday as was mentioned before by Coach Penders as a posibililty, UConn would not want to fly home Monday night and get on a bus to play an away game at BC on Tuesday. Yes, this could be interpreted as a sign that the UConn series with Xavier this weekend will be played, but just slightly time shifted.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[dbmill]

The news that we were hoping for, excellent! When they say "Game Times Subject To Change", they probably aren't kidding. The Saturday weather forecast in Cincinnati is currently calling for a half inch of rain that day, so we'll see what happens. Xavier's field is natural grass, and I don't think it has lights.

 

[huskymedic]

As @BaseballDog alluded to...

 

[huskymedic]

 

[dbmill]

As @BaseballDog alluded to...

Had an ugly feeling the Butler series was in danger when this tweet came out saying the "Weekend schedule is still to be determined". Now we get confirmation.

 

[huskymedic]

Had an ugly feeling the Butler series was in danger when this tweet came out saying the "Weekend schedule is still to be determined". Now we get confirmation.

Well, that surely could have caused a travel issue from Indianapolis if accurate:

 

[dbmill]

With the Butler series gone, UConn has lost 10 Big East games from the original 28 game conference schedule. Chris Jones last weekend was talking about the possibility of UConn and Georgetown meeting somewhere during a midweek to make up a game. That could mean game(s) against Rhode Island or Northeastern could get cancelled.

 

[huskymedic]

With the Butler series gone, UConn has lost 10 Big East games from the original 28 game conference schedule. Chris Jones last weekend was talking about the possibility of UConn and Georgetown meeting somewhere during a midweek to make up a game.

I count 12 Big East Conference games remaining on current schedule. (@St. John, @Villanova and Seton Hall @ home)

UConn is 4-2 in conference.

 

[dbmill]

I count 12 Big East Conference games remaining on current schedule. (@St. John, @Villanova and Seton Hall @ home)

UConn is 4-2 in conference.

Chris Jones also mentioned during the Xavier series that Villanova has only been playing 3 games so far against conference opponents instead of the scheduled 4, so we'll see what happens there. Chris Jones has also been saying that UConn needs to play 14 conference games in order to be eligible for the Big East tournament.