UConn West Coast Swing Part 3 - March 18-20 @ UC Santa Barbara

[huskymedic]

The Huskies and Gauchos open the three-game set on Friday at 6 p.m. ET before a 5 p.m. tilt on Saturday and a 4 p.m. Sunday finale.

>>The Huskies and Guachos have never met on the diamond. UCSB, which checked in at No. 21 on the weekly Collegiate Baseball Division I poll, enters the weekend with a 12-3 record, including a 8-1 mark at home. The Gauchos are hitting .288 as a team, led by redshirt-sophomore Dempsey Grover’s .450 average. On the mound, the team boasts an ERA of 3.80 with a .239 batting average against.

Through 15 games, Connecticut ranks in the top-three in the American in batting average (.287) and ERA (3.61). Individually, sophomore 3B Willy Yahn’s (Sharon, Conn.) 41 total bases rank second in the league, while his .603 slugging percentage is fourth. Senior co-captain Bobby Melley (Barnstable, Mass.) leads the conference with a .493 on-base percentage. <<

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/031616aaa.html

 

[huskymedic]

No. 21 Gauchos Set to Host UConn For Three at Caesar Uyeaka Stadium
http://ucsb.prestosports.com/sports/m-basebl/2015-16/releases/20160317obu6qe

>>Projected Starters:
Friday: RHP Shane Bieber (3-1, 4.00 ERA) vs. LHP Anthony Kay (2-1, 3.20 ERA)
Saturday: RHP Noah Davis (1-0, 2.66 ERA) vs. LHP Tim Cate (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Sunday: RHP Joe Record (2-1, 3.96 ERA) vs. RHP Ronnie Rossomando (0-1, 1.23 ERA)<<

 

[huskymedic]

UConnBaseball 6:00pm via Twitter Web Client
T1: @JonesCcj is live on WHUS in#UConn's series opener at UC Santa Barbara
Sundberg takes a strike and we're underway #BleedBlue

 

[dbmill]

Anthony Kay has a bout of wildness in the 1st inning, including a hit by pitch, walks, several balls in the dirt, and the odd wild pitch. A double play ball gets UConn out of the 1st. Kay gives up no hits, but gives up one run off a sac fly. 1-0 USCB after the 1st.

 

[dbmill]

In the top of the 3rd, Susi has a lead off double, Hill puts down a bunt to get him to 3B, and a ground out gets UConn a run to tie it at one.

 

[uconnbaseball]

Still 1-1, bottom of the 6th. The team has done an awful job of supporting Kay all year in the field and at the plate. We support our others starters better for some reason.

 

[ATLDYKA]

I hope Penders didn't stick with Kay too long here in the bottom of the 7th. 2 straight walks and over 100 pitches

 

[ATLDYKA]

Yes, of course he does. 2 straight walks and then a hit, now trailing 2-1. Doesn't make sense with our bullpen?

 

[dbmill]

Kay gets two quick outs in the 7th, then runners get on and gives up a run. Devin Over coming in to relieve.

 

[ATLDYKA]

After the first walk fine, I can understand, but after the second he should have been pulled. Was at about 115 pitches already.

 

[dbmill]

Top of 8th, 1 out, Buckley pinch hitting for Hill, and gets a walk.

 

[uconnbaseball]

2-2 going into the bottom of the 8th, need the pen to come up big. They're definitely the favorites to win at this point, IMO we needed 2 in that inning.

Awesome pitching by Over gets us to the 9th unscathed, however.

 

[dbmill]

Domnarski allows a two out hit in the bottom of the 8th, and then retires the side. He has definitely graduated into the top tier of relievers that Penders will more than readily go to in a tight game.

 

[dbmill]

Top of 9th, two out homer for Gnesda off of Santa Barbara's closer Nelson, who Chris Jones called one of the best relievers in the college game.

Domnarski to start the bottom of the 9th.

 

[dbmill]

Lead off double, Polonia coming into the game.

 

[ATLDYKA]

Tough way to lose.

 

[dbmill]

Polonia gives up two foul ball home runs before giving up a three run real homer. Santa Barbara wins it.

 

[huskymedic]

UConnBaseball9:02pm via Twitter Web Client
#UConn can't hold late lead, drops opener to No. 21 UCSB, 5-3
http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/031816aaa.html

The two squads resume play in the three-game set on Saturday, March 19 at 5 p.m. ET.

 

[huskymedic]

Bush's Walk-Off Blast Powers No. 21 UCSB to 5-3 Win Over UConn
http://ucsbgauchos.com/sports/m-basebl/2015-16/releases/20160318wou5nc

 

[Stainmaster]

Polonia has a ton of potential and I'm really looking forward to what he becomes over the course of his career here, but at this point in his development it seems like putting him in the closer's role is hurting the team a bit. Now that Ruotolo's back let's see him eased back into the ninth. If this is a team that wants to make some noise in conference and in possible postseason play, we need a solid veteran presence on the mound when we're up late in close games.

 

[dbmill]

Polonia has a ton of potential and I'm really looking forward to what he becomes over the course of his career here, but at this point in his development it seems like putting him in the closer's role is hurting the team a bit. Now that Ruotolo's back let's see him eased back into the ninth. If this is a team that wants to make some noise in conference and in possible postseason play, we need a solid veteran presence on the mound when we're up late in close games.

Agreed. With all the late inning relief opportunities that are available in college baseball, I was half expecting that Ruotolo and Polonia would share the closer role, with Polonia slowly being worked in to that spot over the course of the season. I still think that this is what they should do. There is no reason to throw him in all at once.

 

[scotty0330]

is cate starting again today??

 

[huskymedic]

is cate starting again today??

 

[dbmill]

1-0 UConn lead after 1 inning. Sundberg single, stolen base, and he eventually scores. Cate pitches a very smooth bottom of the 1st.

 

[huskymedic]

UConnBaseball 5:45pm via Twitter Web Client
End 3: Gauchos get on the board after an errant throw from Hill.
#UConn 1, UCSB 1