UConn baseball’s secret to regional success? Division III transfers

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated free year of eligibility for any current collegiate athlete has made roster construction more complex for collegiate coaches. At the same time, it also created a Moneyball-like inefficiency. More so than other most popular sports, top collegiate baseball programs will regularly recruit players from outside Division I. UConn is no exception.

Many junior college players have come from California and been an important part of NCAA Tournament squads over the years, but since many players can now transfer freely and also have an extra year of eligibility, adding older pieces has been a secret weapon.

They’re older, more experienced and stronger than 18-year-old freshmen, which makes them valuable while filling out a roster. UConn head coach Jim Penders has made use of this in recent years.

The Huskies had 20 players appear in the Norman Regional — seven of whom were transfers from the Division III ranks. Caleb Shpur (Endicott), Paul Tammaro (Oswego State) and Luke Broadhurst (ECSU) formed the top third of the lineup and were solid contributors through the entire season.

In the Regional, Tammaro played Gold Glove-level defense and hit 5-for-14 with a double, five runs scored, two walks and hit-by-pitches each, as well as a stolen base. He made the Norman Regional All-Tournament team. Broadhurst also chipped in, going 4-for-16 with a home run, three RBI and a walk.

That trio, along with Jake Studley (Wheaton), had 15 of UConn’s 33 hits in the regional, along with nine of its 19 runs. Studley sat in the final game in favor of TC Simmons, but had a 2-for-4 game in the first battle against Oklahoma.

Two of the four starters used also came from Division III in Stephen Quigley (Wheaton), who threw eight-plus innings on Saturday — carrying a shutout into the ninth — before returning in relief for 1 ²⁄₃ innings in the winner-take-all Game 7 on Monday. He has been a staple in the weekend rotation and while he only struck out three batters over 9 ¹⁄₃ innings, he was effective in limiting damaging contact and letting his defense do what it does best.

Gabe Van Emon (Endicott) threw a gem on Monday to push his team into supers. While he had been inconsistent all season, the experienced veteran came up clutch when it mattered. He scattered five hits over 7 ¹⁄₃ innings of shutout ball in what was undoubtedly the biggest stage of his career.

Even Kieran Finnegan (SUNY Oswego), who wasn’t often used in the regular season, filled a role. He saved the bullpen, throwing 1 ²⁄₃ innings in an eventual loss to the Sooners after Garrett Coe departed. That ensured the big pieces were fresh and available on Monday, should they be needed in a do-or-die Game 7.

While they are largely new to Division I, they’ve still had big moments. Broadhurst won a Division III national championship before returning to UConn, where he was recruited as a freshman but cut after fall practices. Quigley was in the top 50 in Division III in WHIP and K/BB ratio. Tammaro was an All-American before heading to Storrs.

This crew was instrumental in getting the Huskies to their third Super Regional. If they want to get back to the College World Series for the first time since 1979, they’ll need to do it again.