UConn @ Hartford Hawks (3/10/20 @ 3p)

[dbmill]

Chris Jones doesn't seem to think that Justin Willis will be available for this weekend, but he is throwing and it should be back soon. Possibly against Cincinnati or Boston College. Also Zach Donahue and Sam Favieri down with injuries.

 

[dbmill]

Bottom 7th, Marrero still on the mound to start the inning. 5-2 Huskies.

 

[dbmill]

Quick note, from what I remember, Zach Ardito playing 3B for the Hartford Hawks originally committed to UConn before switching to Hartford way back when.

 

[dbmill]

Bottom 7th, scoreless inning for Marrero. 5-2 Huskies.

 

[dbmill]

Top 8th, Huskies go down in order. David Langer was on the on deck circle, apparently getting ready to pinch hit for Petersen.

 

[dbmill]

Bottom 8th, Kenny Haus in to start the inning.

 

[dbmill]

Chris Jones says Randy Polonia is serving a suspension due to violation of team rules. He will miss the spring break trip, should be back for Boston College.

 

[huskymedic]

Polonia suspended till after spring break for violation of team rules... gotta love how Chris Jones just kinda slips that in along the way.

 

[dbmill]

Bottom 8th, Haus strands to runners on base for a scoreless inning. 5-2 Huskies.

 

[dbmill]

Top 9th, Langer pinch hitting for Petersen to lead off the inning for his first appearance of the season. Comes up with a double off the wall. However, an appeal play has Langer out for failing to touch 1B.

 

[dbmill]

Bottom 9th, Wurster in for the save situation, Langer takes over at 3B.

 

[dbmill]

Wurster gets the save, and UConn gets the 5-2 win!

 

[dbmill]

A pretty solid staff day with no earned runs for the pitchers. However, 5 Husky errors in the field is getting to be a recurring problem.

 

[huskypantz]

A pretty solid staff day with no earned runs for the pitchers. However, 5 Husky errors in the field is getting to be a recurring problem.

Is that 2 5-E games already this year? Yikes. Great job otherwise, grind out these midweek games and turn up the heat on the weekends.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[BigJim84]

A pretty solid staff day with no earned runs for the pitchers. However, 5 Husky errors in the field is getting to be a recurring problem.

I agree was at the game, Lucas and Marrero impressed me.

 

[dbmill]

A pretty solid staff day with no earned runs for the pitchers. However, 5 Husky errors in the field is getting to be a recurring problem.

Of course, it isn't just the physical errors but the mental errors as well. No one covering 2B on a double play ball hit back to the pitcher is a pretty giant baseball sin.

Coach Penders does come up with some new descriptions now and then. A middle school like atmosphere in the dugout, now that is something.

 

[huskymedic]

>>Notes:

• The five game win streak is the longest for the Huskies since finishing off a road sweep at No. 16 ECU on April 2, 2017 to push win streak to five games.
• In his last seven games, Chris Winkel is 14-26 (.538) at the plate. The senior captain has scored at least a run in nine-straight games (12 runs during span).
• The Huskies are 5-1 when Paul Gozzo homers in a game.
• The victory snapped a three-game losing streak at Fiondella Field, before today the last win in West Hartford came in 2013.<<

 

[HOOK C FAN]

Looks like we are sending out 3 or 4 DH's in the field. Of the 8 guys out there, is there even ONE that is above average in the field? In close, well-pitched AAC games we will have trouble if defense continues to be treated second to offense at every position. Caleb is good, perhaps very good, but Wallace is not there to K seven straight guys to end any of our games this year.

 

[hardcorehusky]

Man I miss Anthony Prato right now......

 

[huskymedic]

Looks like we are sending out 3 or 4 DH's in the field. Of the 8 guys out there, is there even ONE that is above average in the field? In close, well-pitched AAC games we will have trouble if defense continues to be treated second to offense at every position.

 

[gtcam]

A win is a win BUT another 5+ error game is ridiculous
Sure nice to beat UHaha at their place

 

[dbmill]

Man I miss Anthony Prato right now......

Zach Bushling came out of California JUCO land with a very good fielding reputation. It seems he has had more than his fair share of the fielding problems of late. Given his fielding reputation, I'm hoping he will settle down as the season progresses. On the other hand, he may be better suited for either 3B or 2B. If this is so, that doesn't provide an answer for the shortstop spot, as Andy Hague was having some problems as well.

Todd Petersen has had both good and bad moments in the field. However, I expect David Langer will get an opportunity to take over at 3B.

 

[dbmill]

Of course, we all have been focusing on the fielding problems the team has had. To me, a big positive to come out of this game is the pitching performance. It may have been a midweek game, but no earned runs for what was essentially a staff day is pretty impressive, although Coach Penders did put a focus on the leadoff walks that were given up for several consecutive innings. Still, despite the walks and the fielding problems that surfaced especially during the stint of Will Lucas on the mound today, I do find it impressive that he managed to escape it all with no runs coming in while he was pitching. Andrew Marrero also did quite well. Once again, I have to like what I have seen in terms of the potential pitching depth that this team seems to have.

 

[uconnbaseball]

Hartford is better than Presbytarian with superior pitching. 11 hits is fine and pitching was great. Time to fix the defense.