Men UConn @ #25 USC Trojans (3/15/22 @ 9p EDT on PAC12 Network & MIXLR)

[huskymedic]

Bottom 8th, with 2 outs, Cooke gives up his first walk of the game. He has 7 strikeouts on the game as he comes out of the game, Freshman Brady Afthim coming in to pitch. Cooke threw 97 pitches.

1BB in first career start (and it came in the bottom of the 8th w/ 2 outs)!!

 

[dbmill]

Top 9th, UConn offense leaves runners on the corners. 7-0 UConn.

 

[Pudge]

Something woke Ben Huber up in California. Make sure he gets back on the plane east.

 

[ATLDYKA]

Do you think it's possible they go with the other Freshman Sullivan tomorrow night? I do like Coe also.

 

[dbmill]

Bottom 9th, Afthim gives up a couple walks and a single to bring in a run with 1 out. UConn still up 7-1. Garrett Coe coming in to pitch.

 

[ATLDYKA]

That may have just answered my question.

 

[dbmill]

Do you think it's possible they go with the other Freshman Sullivan tomorrow night? I do like Coe also.

I figured Coe would start tomorrow night, but so much for that with him in the game now. Not really sure who it could be at this point tomorrow.

 

[dbmill]

Bottom 9th, Coe gets the last 2 outs, UConn wins 7-1!!!

 

[huskymedic]

 

[uconnbaseball]

Great win! It might be a Rays style bullpen game tomorrow. Afthim and Coe can still give us an inning maybe, and everyone else in the pen is rested (including Willis). I'm not worried.

 

[ATLDYKA]

I figured Coe would start tomorrow night, but so much for that with him in the game now. Not really sure who it could be at this point tomorrow.

Maybe Sullivan?

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Tmill15]

What an electric performance tonight by Ian Cooke and a great 7-1 win over #25 USC. A very quality win that helps the resume a lot!! Could very well see USC again come tourney time, you never know!!

 

[Bomber36]

Great win!

 

[dvegas]

Wow gotta be close to a ranking

 

[businesslawyer]

That was an impressive two way win. For Cooke to get into the 8th in his first start is truly remarkable. The thought that we had commitments from two pitchers in this class better than him defies description.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

-> Game Notes

• The Huskies are 79-66 against Power 5 conference schools since the 2010 season. UConn is 2-0 this season.
• UConn is 3-0 all-time at Dedeaux Field.
• In his first career start, Ian Cooke recorded 7.2 shutout frames with a career-high seven strikeouts.
• Ben Huber has homered in three of the last four games. <-

 

[huskymedic]

 

[gtcam]

12-2 and an impressive win at SoCal
What does it take to get ranked?
This team can hit and the young kids can pitch - Penders continues to amaze in getting the studs to Storrs
This is going to be a really enjoyable spring in Storrs

 

[huskymedic]

12-2 and an impressive win at SoCal
What does it take to get ranked?

The weekly rankings from the major college baseball sites came out yesterday morning (USC was ranked #25 for the first time since 2016 in BaseballAmerica poll).

 

[huskymedic]

 

[TMB4405]

I love what this team is doing. At conclusion of last year I was very excited for this year in partly due to Crawford propelling them to new heights. To lose him and do what we have done is amazing. I get frustrated over a loss to Pepperdine on Sunday then have to remind myself this is baseball. Good teams lose.

I also find myself wondering what if we had Crawford and how good we could be. His bat alone was huge but combined with what he could have been on the mound you could argue contending for Omaha was reasonable. Good teams fill in and move on and the staff has done that. And guess what I still think we will be contending for a trip to Omaha. No matter what this team is fun to root for as it is every year. I hope fans and students realize this and support them at home this year.

 

[Pudge]

I thought the USC kids who announced the Live stream were great: not to much homer fellow-students; knowledgeable about baseball and nuance; and both had east coast ties as they talked about watching baseball on the Cape. Excited to start after the Big Win last weekend over UCLA. They were in awe of Cooke.

The funny thing - and you can find it on YouTube - they produced a highlight video of the game. In baseball, if you lose 7-1, there simply is not a lot to highlight. A double play; a few strikeouts early; that triple that got by Dana. It is what it is: One kid - Cooke - took the steam out of #25.

 

[dbmill]

Coach Penders has some good stuff on Cooke and Afthim, it's worth a listen. As for Cooke, Penders says the last time he saw a starting pitching performance like that from a freshman was Tim Cate.