The Huskies are rolling.
UConn baseball is up to eight consecutive wins, as the Huskies eked by Seton Hall, coming from behind each time, with an extra-innings victory on Friday.
Thursday: UConn 5, Seton Hall 3
UConn got the series started with a victory, coming from behind after giving up two runs in the top of the first.
Jude Abbadessa started what became a bullpen game, handling the first. He struggled with the top of Seton Hall’s order, as Aiden Robbins, AJ Soldra and Kevin Milewski each singled to get get the Pirates on the board with one out. Abbadessa then hit a batter to load the bases and was one strike away from getting out of the frame, but walked Magnus Krieger to plate a second tally before ending the threat.
It was a bullpen for the Huskies, as Gabe Van Emon replaced him for the second and allowed five baserunners over his pair of innings, but did not permit a run, nor did Sam Hutchinson, who got one out to start the fourth.
In the bottom of the frame, the Huskies tied the game on a Tyler Minick two-run shot, the first of two on the day for him, as he took the first pitch he saw over the right-center field fence. The Huskies took the lead one inning later, as Grant MacArthur knocked a solo homer.
Ian Cooke entered the game with one out in the fourth and helped keep his team in front, with 3 2⁄3 innings of strong relief. He scattered a hit and a walk and just one unearned run came across, doing so in the sixth. Robbins tripled, then scored on a passed ball.
However, Minick’s second big fly, a mammoth blast to right field, put UConn back in front for good. Brady Afthim recorded a six-out save, his seventh of the year.
Friday: UConn 5, Seton Hall 4 (10 innings)
The Huskies took the series in walk-off fashion, coming from behind to score three unanswered runs and win their seventh-straight game in 10 innings.
It didn’t start well for UConn, which immediately went down 2-0 the top of the first.
The huskies picked up one run in the second to cut the lead in half, loading the bases with two outs. Caleb Shpur singled to score a run but they couldn’t tie the contest.
The Pirates reclaimed their two-run lead in the third, knocking two hits to start the inning. With a runner on third, Jimmy Brennan pushed the run across with a ground out. In the fourth, Connor Lane homered to bring UConn back within one run.
Thomas Ellisen did not have his best stuff but still managed to complete 4 2⁄3 innings of work. He allowed six hits, two walks and one hit batter in addition to the three earned runs charged to his line.
Seton Hall reopened its two-run lead in the seventh with a Kevin Milewski home run off Greg Shaw III, and the offense was sputtering. Prior to the ninth and 10th innings, UConn had 10 hits but just two runs, hitting 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
But a sudden ninth-inning rally saw UConn push across the tying runs. Rob Rispoli singled and Ryan Daniels walked to start the frame and a double steal placed two runners into scoring position. Aidan Dougherty grounded out to score Rispoli, but UConn still searched for the tying run. Bryan Padilla played hero, attacking the first pitch he saw for a single up the middle.
In the 10th, Sean Finn struck out the side to shift any remaining momentum back to the Huskies. He shined in his outing, allowing just one walk in three innings while striking out six — including five in a row between the ninth and 10th.
Lane kept his big day going in the 10th, doubling to lead off the inning and pick up his third hit on the night. Beau Root pinch hit and followed suit with a single, pushing Lane to third. With Seton Hall’s infield positioned in for a play at the plate, Rispoli poked the winning hit up the middle to send the Huskies home winners.
Saturday: UConn 8, Seton Hall 6
UConn finished off the sweep on Saturday as the bats came alive for both sides. Seton Hall tried to force extra innings for the second consecutive day, with a three-run ninth, but Brady Afthim was able to complete the save.
The Pirates scored just once in the first inning after getting two on the board in the first two meetings, but Tyler Minick re-tied the game at 1-1, plating Rob Rispoli on a single.
Rispoli reached again to lead off the third, this time via an error and Ryan Daniels hunted his pitch on a 3-1 count, knocking it well over the right-field fence for a 3-1 advantage. He wasn’t the only one to go yard in the frame, as Bryan Padilla made it 5-1 with an inside-the-park home run.
Aidan Dougherty stood on second after a single and stolen base and Padilla took a pitch up in the zone deep to center field. AJ Soldra lost it in the sun and it bounced against the wall. He fumbled the pick-up, which enabled the senior to cross the plate without a throw.
Charlie West got the start and despite his control struggles, walking six hitters and hitting another, he only allowed two runs in 3 2⁄3 innings. He loaded the bases in the fourth and was lifted for Sean Finn, who pushed in Seton Hall’s second run with a free pass before he ended the threat.
Meanwhile, the Huskies were held quiet until the eighth, when they scored three more. Minick got his second hit to lead off the frame, notching a double. Beau Root worked a free pass and Connor Lane took a pitch up and in into the UConn bullpen, making it an 8-3 contest, as Seton Hall had gotten one back in the top half of the frame.
Afthim was called on to pitch 2 2⁄3 innings and allowed five hits, with four runs scoring, though only two were earned. Seton Hall appeared to get the go-ahead run to the plate with two outs, but upon review, it was ruled he did not beat Bryan Padilla’s throw, ending the game on a 5-3 ground out.
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UConn (21-17, 8-4 Big East) will be in downtown Hartford at Dunkin’ Park on Tuesday to face UMass. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m. on UConn+.