No. 10 UConn baseball walks it off once again to claim series win over Butler

No. 10 UConn baseball has been giving fans quite the show at Elliot Ballpark. Not 24 hours after a marathon 13-inning win on Friday night in walk-off fashion, the Huskies did it again on Saturday afternoon, gutting out a 7-6 win over Butler.

The Huskies committed three errors in the top of the ninth as Butler scored twice to take a one-run lead, Luke Broadhurst uncorked a two-run home run over the left field wall to walk it off for the Huskies in the bottom of the ninth.

UConn remains a perfect 6-for-6 in Big East series and is primed to secure the top spot in the conference standings with a win on Sunday.

Butler jumped out to an early three-run lead in this game, as UConn starter Stephen Quigley struggled out of the gate. Four Bulldog hits in the top of the first inning led to two runs scored, and a home run from Dominic Milano in the eighth spot of the lineup made the score 3-0 after two.

The Huskies’ first run of the game came from a bases-loaded walk following back-to-back singles from Bryan Padilla and Paul Tammaro in the fourth. The next inning, Ben Huber tied it back up at 3-3 with a two-run home run. The grad transfer was playing in his second game back from plantar fasciitis.

As this was going down, Quigley rebounded from his tough start in the first two innings to throw four scoreless, striking out four during that stretch. He finished with three runs allowed on eight hits over six innings. He struck out six and walked one.

In the top of the eighth, Butler loaded up the bases and Milano drove in another run with a sac fly to put his team back on top.

UConn took the lead back in the bottom of the inning, however. Tammaro started the game at third in place of Dominic Freeberger, who took over right field duties for an ill Jake Studley, and his single through the left side scored Broadhurst, who reached third via a balk. Korey Morton drove in Padilla with a sacrifice fly to take the lead, and the stage was set for a dramatic ninth inning.

UConn’s defensive letdowns in the ninth allowed the Bulldogs one last chance. It started with a mishandled grounder at first from Huber and also included a Tammaro overthrow.

Jim Penders’ squad responded well, as Huber drew a walk and then Broadhurst ended the game with his big dinger.

UConn (38-11, 13-3 Big East) goes for the series sweep at 12:05 p.m. on Sunday.