UConn baseball sweeps Seton Hall

It was far from a typical weekend series. The power shut was shut off on Seton Hall’s campus for the Holy Thursday during the first game. Then the two teams played a doubleheader on Saturday to wrap up the series (Seton Hall doesn’t play on Good Friday or Easter).

But the result was typical. The No. 18 UConn Huskies won all three games against the Pirates for their second-straight sweep in conference play, and third of the season.

The power may not have been on, but both UConn and Seton Hall provided plenty of electric action. The Huskies narrowly escaped with a 7-6 win in the opening game of the series and won both games on Saturday, punctuating the sweep with a blowout.

Here’s how it went down:

Friday: UConn 7, Seton Hall 6

In the first game of the series, UConn jumped out to a big 7-0 lead, but after Seton Hall came stormed back in the later innings.

The Huskies scored four runs in the first two innings. Erik Stock, UConn’s star center fielder, got them off the mark with an RBI single to knock home T.C. Simmons, and David Smith earned an RBI with a bases-loaded walk.

Stock led the pack with three hits in five at bats, his team-leading 21st multi-hit game of the season.

UConn chased the Seton Hall starter in the second inning after two consecutive hit batters, and the Huskies would score four more with a sacrifice fly from Casey Dana and a bases-clearing triple from Zach Bushling.

Starter Austin Peterson was going strong through five innings and earned his seventh-straight win of the season, but some traffic on the basepaths let Seton Hall right back in it. The Pirates scored four in the sixth with a triple and a double.

Closer Justin Willis entered in the ninth, allowing two runs to bring the lead to just one, but he buckled down and struck out two consecutive batters to earn the save.

Saturday, Game One: UConn 3, Seton Hall 2

The second game of the series on Saturday was a much more tense contest but still ended in a Husky win, 3-2.

A Christian Fedko sacrifice fly in the seventh inning was the difference in the series-clinching win, driving in Ben Huber who reached on a leadoff double.

Pat Gallagher set the Huskies up for success with 6.0 scoreless innings for his sixth win of the year.

UConn struck first in the third inning, with a two-run double from Casey Dana to score Erik Stock and center fielder T.C. Simmons. Dana and Simmons combined with Huber to power the UConn offense, going a combined 6-for-12.

Saturday, Game Two: UConn 14, Seton Hall 2

After winning the first two games of the series by a combined two runs, UConn unleashed the full power of its potent offense in the final game of Easter weekend with a 14-2 win.

The Huskies led by a slim 2-0 margin until the fifth inning, when the Huskies batted around and six-run and five-run frames allowed them to pull away. Zach Bushling led the Huskies offensively with three hits, two runs, and an RBI double.

David Smith kicked off the inning with an RBI double in the fifth, and Casey Dana followed it up with a bases-clearing double to make it 7-0. Freshman shortstop Bryan Padilla delivered the knockout blow, with a three-run home run in the sixth.

Enzo Stefanoni pitched to contact as usual in another reliable start, allowing just one earned run through 8.0 innings pitched. Freshman Jack Sullivan entered in the ninth inning and was able to close out the game.

What’s Next

The Huskies are 6-0 in conference play for the first time since 2017, but before they attempt to keep their undefeated conference record intact, they’ll take on UMass in Elliot Ballpark at 3:05 on Tuesday, April 19.