UConn Baseball: Rossomando Looks to Lead Strong Freshman Group

It has been a long journey to the start of the 2016 campaign for freshman pitcher Ronnie Rossomando. As he prepares for his first time suiting up in blue and white for the Huskies, he can certainly reflect on a lot of hard work that brought him to this season.

Rossomando’s raw talent emerged at a young age, as he earned the role of number one starter for Bunnell High School (Stratford, Conn.) during his freshman year. The four-year letterman put together a remarkable campaign during his junior year, putting up a 5-1 record paired with a dominant 1.65 earned run average and 69 strikeouts in 42.1 innings pitched. Those numbers helped him earn the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year award, which recognizes superior athletic performance and academic achievement.

Rossomando continued to dominate during his senior year. He topped all of the numbers from his award-winning junior season, going 8-1 with a 1.17 ERA in 10 games started. He struck out 96 batters in just 66 innings.

This remarkable senior year performance led to a selection by the Cincinnati Reds in the 28^th round of the 2015 MLB Draft (835^th overall).

Coach Penders claims that Rossomando has what it takes to be a starter for the Huskies if the opportunity presented itself this season. With a fastball clocking in at around 88 mph, a 72 mph curveball, and a 76 mph changeup the freshman certainly has the tools.

Another freshman to watch is catcher Zac Susi, another in-state talent from nearby Southington. He has been mentored by fellow catcher Alex Lefevre, who he looks to share time with over the course of the season. With his strong arm, experienced feel for the game, and comparative advantage swinging the bat, look for Susi to have a big year.

Freshman pitcher PJ Poulin has also received praise from coaches. The lefty adds to a healthy mix of lefties and righties, however he is not quite as ready to fall into the starting lineup compared to Rossomando- the raw talent is there, but Poulin must continue to work before seeing more innings.

The Huskies' season starts today at 7 p.m. with a three-game series against University of Texas-San Antonio. You can follow along on WHUS at 91.7 FM or www.whussports.org.

Here’s a full list of incoming freshmen on the roster

#19 PJ Poulin LHP/OF

#23 Zac Susi C

#44 Alex Hintze LHP

#5 Jack Lambrecht INF

#27 John Toppa INF/OF

#26 Dillon Malandro INF/OF

#36 Tim Cate LHP

#43 Ronnie Rossomando RHP