Rhode Island Tops UConn Baseball

UConn Baseball lost on Wednesday for the third time in four games, on the wrong end of a 7-2 decision to Rhode Island at Bill Beck Field in Kingston.

“It wasn’t much of a contest,” head coach Jim Penders said.

The Huskies notched only four hits, two from third baseman Willy Yahn. Both Husky runs came in without crediting a RBI.

In the first, Yahn and left fielder John Toppa singled to begin the game but Yahn was picked off of second base. The Rams sniffed out his attempt to steal third before it could happen.

“He made a mistake of looking extra eager,” Penders said. “The shortstop keyed in on it.”

Rhode Island starter Dom Grillo did not allow another hit until an infield single by Yahn loaded the bases and ended his outing.

Grillo’s replacement, Blaise Whitman, kept the shutout alive by getting Toppa to pop out to end the threat.

The Rams got a run in the first off of back-to-back extra-base hits and added another one in the third before a four-run third put it out of reach.

“They had four baserunners and a run in without the ball going through the infield,” Penders said. “That’s pretty pathetic. There’s no other way to put it.”

Kevin Heiss executed a squeeze bunt to get Mike Foley home, extending the lead to 3-0 and load the bases before Chris Hess drove two runs home with a double to left field. Rhode Island was up 6-0 after four.

UConn got one back in the sixth off the bat of Chris Winkel. With two on and two out, he hit a dribbler down the third base line. Jake Rockefeller fielded it off the mound but threw it away, allowing catcher Zac Susi to cross the plate.

The Huskies got their final run on another two-out error which allowed center fielder Troy Stefanski to score.

UConn (22-17) will return home for its next outing when the Huskies take on Cincinnati in conference play. First pitch on Friday is at 3 p.m.