UConn vs Villanova

[Yonick]

Boy, if we handled our New England opposition better I do believe we'd be a shoo-in for the tourney.

 

[ATLDYKA]

2-2 top of the 6th have battled back from down 2-0. However, here in the top of the 6th we have 1st and 3rd and no outs and Testani strikes out and so does Verdi. It is up to Ferriter. This teams inability to make contact just astonishes me. Testani is just a strike out machine and probably just needs to ride the pine for awhile.

 

[ATLDYKA]

Ferriter comes through, 2 RBI single, now it is 4-2 UConn. He is definitely finding his stroke

 

[dbmill]

Catalina came in for relief in the 6th inning, gave up a two run home run in 7th to make it 5-4 UConn. Penders wasted no time at that point bringing in Will Jolin, who got out of the inning. Everyone has been noting the problems of the UConn offense, but to me one of the big things this season is that Penders has obviously yet to get confidence in any pitchers beyond the basic 10 pitchers he uses (I'm counting Colletti as one of the basic ten). We'll see the next time Penders uses someone like Catalina in a close game in a weekend series.

 

[ATLDYKA]

UConn busts it open with 4 in the 9th, now 9-4. Great down for the young guns, McDowell has 3 hits, Daniello has 2, Yavarone 2, Melley with 2 and Siena has 2. The only guy in the lineup without a hit is Testani who is 0-5 and a couple more strike outs. He is a real liability at the plate right now. Meanwhile McDowell get's caught stealing for the 3rd time in 2 days. Does McDowell as a catcher really have speed that Penders thinks he can steal?

 

[dbmill]

UConn offense comes up with four runs in top of 9th, now lead 9-4 with Jolin still pitching in the bottom of the inning.

 

[dbmill]

Will Jolin does the job, allowing only one hit in his three innings of relief. UConn wins 9-4, getting a badly needed sweep of a Big East series.

 

[dbmill]

UConn busts it open with 4 in the 9th, now 9-4. Great down for the young guns, McDowell has 3 hits, Daniello has 2, Yavarone 2, Melley with 2 and Siena has 2. The only guy in the lineup without a hit is Testani who is 0-5 and a couple more strike outs. He is a real liability at the plate right now. Meanwhile McDowell get's caught stealing for the 3rd time in 2 days. Does McDowell as a catcher really have speed that Penders thinks he can steal?

I doubt McDowell is going on straight steals. Penders loves to be aggressive, loves the hit and run. I bet these are busted hit and run plays.

Testani has indeed been in a horrible slump. I'm surprised that Stanley Paul really hasn't played much since coming back from the injury.

 

[huskymedic]

Game Notes:
- The series was UConn’s first BIG EAST sweep since taking three games at Pittsburgh (Apr. 5-7, 2012).
- The Huskies totaled 15 hits in a game for the first time since May 16 at Presbyterian.
- UConn has won 16 of 18 against Villanova and leads the all-time series, 36-24.
- 21 of UConn’s 35 lineups have featured at least four freshmen starters.
- Against left-handed starters, UConn is 12-4.
- Max McDowell recorded the first three-hit game of his career.
- Eric Yavarone is hitting .426 (20-for-47) over the last 13 games.
- Brian Ward is now tied for the team-lead in career wins among active players with Pat Butler at 11.