UConn Baseball Shuts Out UCF to Sweep Weekend Series

UConn Baseball dominated from start to finish on Sunday in the second-to-last weekend of the conference season. Wills Montgomerie (4-2) just three hits and the entire Husky pitching staff only allowed one runner to reach third base in the contest.

Montgomerie had a great start, going 6+ innings, only allowing the three hits with no runs, notching eight strikeouts and three walks. No one really hit him hard, either.

"I had more confidence," Montgomerie said. "I fed off the energy the dugout brings. It was a great couple of days."

UConn started off strong offensively as well. Jack Sundberg worked a walk and Willy Yahn got one of his two hits on the day. After two fly outs, Bryan Daniello and John Toppa were both hit by pitches, forcing Sundberg home for a 1-0 Huskies lead. The bases were still loaded for Gnesda, but he flew out to end the threat. UConn is now 10-4 when scoring first.

In the third inning, Toppa walked and Gnesda doubled him home for a 2-0 lead. The next batter, Alex LeFevre, singled him home to increase the lead to 3-0.

The Huskies scored three runs on six hits, but it could have been a lot more as they left 12 runners on base, leaving the bases loaded in the first, the fourth and the sixth.

"I was counting them," Coach Penders said. "There were too many left on, that's for sure."

Montgomerie did not allow a hit until the fourth, retiring 11 of the first 12 he faced. He continued dominance until the sixth, when he was lifted after 102 pitches.

"I thought he was locating well," Penders said. "I thought he was doing a great job with the breaking ball. He dealt with base runners well.

"Each time out he has taken a step forward," Penders said of his Sunday starter.

Devin Over came in to relieve Montgomerie and worked a scoreless seventh, including a heads up play on his first batter. On a sacrifice bunt, he was able to get the out at third, and keep the force on.

Pat Ruotolo allowed two hits, one in each inning, for a six-out save, his seventh of the season.

UConn's next game is Tuesday against Rhode Island. First pitch is at 1 p.m., with Andrew Zapata getting the start against the Rams.