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Message: [QUOTE="huskymedic, post: 4882665, member: 549"] [HEADING=1][SIZE=4]Connecticut[/SIZE][/HEADING] [SIZE=4][B]Head Coach[/B]: Jim Penders [B]2023 Record[/B]: 44-17 (15-5) Connecticut looked primed to be just the third regional host in the Northeast in the last 32 years, sitting at 36-11 early in May, but the Huskies finished the season going a paltry 8-6, including falling in the Big East Championship and then having a short appearance in the Gainesville Regional where their starting pitching was overmatched, giving up nine earned runs on 12 hits and seven walks in 10.2 innings. [B]Strengths[/B] Turn your weaknesses into strengths. UConn faded last year and didn’t have the frontline horses to go toe to toe with Texas Tech and Florida in the regional, but the Huskies feel much more confident in their pitching staff overall and starting rotation specifically, even though the names in the rotation are familiar ones. Six-foot-six fifth-year senior lefty Garrett Coe (6-3, 4.42) has moved up to take the ball on Fridays. Used exclusively as a reliever until he was thrust into the rotation midseason last year, Coe’s stuff has ticked up from low- to mid-80s a couple years ago to where he now routinely pitches in the high 80s to 90 and can touch 91-92. That’s helped his changeup play up even more, allowing him to attack hitters for early contact and more advantageous counts rather than constantly being in lengthy at-bats that drove up his pitch counts. Before jumping into the rotation for the Huskies, Coe was phenomenal this summer pitching in the Cape Cod League, allowing two earned runs on 13 hits with 18 strikeouts in 19.2 innings. He’ll be buoyed by righthanders Ian Cooke (3-3, 5.74 with 60 K in 53.1 IP), the conference’s 2022 preseason Pitcher of the Year, and Stephen Quigley (4-3, 4.83 with 74 K in 76.1 IP), the conference’s 2023 preseason Pitcher of the Year. Both were beneficiaries of a staff-wide increased focus on conditioning that has led to more consistent deliveries and more strike throwing after Connecticut slid from No. 3 in the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio and No. 6 in walks allowed per nine innings in 2022 to being No. 60 and No. 81 in the same two categories in 2023. Cooke accepted the challenge and reworked his body, which should help him on the mound, but also to stay on the mound after he suffered multiple minor, nagging injuries last season. He’s been 90-94 and touching 95 in addition to a sharp slider and changeup. [B]Question Marks[/B] Pitching coach Joshua MacDonald is confident the Huskies have a deeper arsenal of reliable weapons on the mound this season than last year, but that will include multiple unproven commodities, particularly in the bullpen where they lose Devin Kirby (49.2 IP over 25 appearances), Zach Fogell (8-0, 1.89 with 60 K in 47.2 IP over 36 appearances) and closer Justin Willis who had 27 combined saves the last two seasons. With Coe headed to the front of the rotation and either Jack Sullivan or Thomas Ellisen likely to get the Tuesday starter spot, some newcomers and seldom-used arms are going to be called upon for important bridge innings to get the ball to Brady Afthim (0-0, 3.91 in 26 appearances), who will get the first crack at filling Willis’ shoes. Ellisen could also be a back-end option or a multi-inning bridge guy. Braden Quinn struggled last year but has a huge breaking ball from the left side. Tufts transfer righthander Cameron Mayer and walk-on Joe Carrea will get early opportunities but keep an eye on freshman righthanders Tommy Turner and Ben Schild. [B]Star Power[/B] Jake Studley is the most common name mentioned by opposing Big East coaches when asked about the conference’s scariest hitter to face. That might seem strange praise for a hitter with only eight home runs last year and that doesn’t have a towering presence in the batter’s box at 5’11”, but Studley doesn’t have many holes. He’s a difficult at-bat for pitchers because he knows his strengths and doesn’t try to do too much. Instead, he just hits laser beams all around the yard. [B]Glue Guys[/B] Rather than Studley, Connecticut’s leading power hitter this season will be Luke Broadhurst (.312,14, 51), but his power may be a little sapped to start the season as both he and veteran infielder Bryan Padilla (.266, 6, 42) have missed time in the preseason due to hamate bone injuries. Padilla had transitioned over to third base after Division III Oswego State transfer Paul Tammaro (.389, 4, 15) took over the shortstop spot late in the season and ran with it. But Padilla won’t be ready at the beginning of the season, so Broadhurst will likely fill in at third base with Maddix Dalena at first. [B]Pick to Click[/B] Maddix Dalena is a sweet-swinging lefty with big-time pop in his bat. The sophomore has long levers, and when he connects, it goes a long way. Backing up all-conference first baseman Ben Huber last season, Dalena got minimal playing time until Huber went down with an injury. Dalena got his feet wet, hitting .254, 3, 11 in 59 at-bats, but seems primed for a breakout this season. [B]Top Newcomer[/B] The Huskies are excited about freshman Tyler Minick and believe he could be one of the best impact freshmen they’ve had in a while. With Broadhurst and Padilla banged up, he’ll likely get some early opportunities, and depending on how he responds, he could move someone else out of the lineup to become a permanent fixture. He’s got all kinds of tools, including a dynamic speed/power combo. [B]Outlook[/B] The Huskies have been the preeminent program in the Big East since returning from the American Athletic Conference, but after a disappointing finish to their 2023 campaign, they’ve got something to chase this season. They’ll again do it was pitching and defense, but this season, Connecticut will rely less on the long ball and instead use its speed and athleticism to cause some havoc.[/SIZE] [/QUOTE]

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