The UConn Blog - UConn Baseball Weekend Series: East CarolinaEscalators are for cowards.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49593/uconn-fav.png2017-04-03T20:45:16-04:00http://www.theuconnblog.com/rss/stream/149081032017-04-03T20:45:16-04:002017-04-03T20:45:16-04:00Tim Cate Named AAC Pitcher of the Week
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<figcaption>Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog</figcaption>
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<p>The sophomore ace dazzled against East Carolina on Friday.</p> <p id="2JzTYv">UConn Baseball’s sophomore left-hander Tim Cate had a stellar performance <a href="http://www.theuconnblog.com/2017/3/31/15144008/uconn-baseball-beats-east-carolina-in-conference-opener">in Friday’s win over East Carolina</a>. He threw seven strong innings, scattering five hits and only an unearned run while walking two batters and striking out a career-high 13. </p>
<p id="VkWZzU">The performance was good enough to earn American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week honors.</p>
<p id="uk74Dz">Cate struggled to get going early this season, missing three starts after an injury and another after a suspension for breaking team rules.</p>
<p id="WMO1w5">His most recent start kicked off a great weekend for the Husky starters. Cate, Wills Montgomerie, and Mason Feole gave the Huskies 21 innings, allowing just three runs, only one of which was earned. They struck out 25 and walked four, a vast improvement from the 21 walked by the UConn pitching staff against Seton Hall.</p>
<p id="1PBce0">Cate is the second Husky to earn the Pitcher of the Week Award this season. Wills Montgomerie won it for his performance in the week of February 27.</p>
<p id="8R6Idt">Freshman shortstop Anthony Prato also was named to the Honor Roll. He hit .352 (6-for-17) on the week, scoring three runs and notching three RBI.</p>
<p id="ZO8Iwk">The Huskies went 4-0 on the week and were rewarded with four points in the latest USA Today Coaches’ Poll. UConn also received votes in the NCBWA Poll and is ranked 34th in the RPI.</p>
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https://www.theuconnblog.com/2017/4/3/15165730/tim-cate-named-aac-pitcher-of-the-weekShawn McGrath2017-04-02T18:04:54-04:002017-04-02T18:04:54-04:00UConn Baseball Wins Game 3 Over East Carolina
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<figcaption>Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog</figcaption>
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<p>The Huskies rode defensive miscues to their fifth straight win and a road sweep of the ECU Pirates.</p> <p id="goJNmj">UConn Baseball completed the sweep on Sunday against East Carolina at Clark-LeClair Stadium with a 5-1 win in the third and final game of the weekend series.</p>
<p id="8nPZzY">Mason Feole had a strong start, allowing only an unearned run in seven innings. He scattered five hits, walked one, and struck out six.</p>
<p id="GF1fcW">The Huskies had only five hits, two by third baseman Willy Yahn (2-for-5), who also drove in a run. Shortstop Anthony Prato (1-for-5) scored a run and had UConn’s other RBI. Catcher Alex LeFevre scored two runs.</p>
<p id="1Upjbx">The Pirates’ subpar defensive effort played a major factor in the Huskies’ fifth straight win. East Carolina committed five errors, leading to four unearned runs charged to its starter Jake Agnos, who otherwise pitched very well.</p>
<p id="R8JZdj">Agnos held the Huskies at bay through the first two innings before LeFevre reached on a throwing error by Nick Barber to lead off the third. He was brought in by Prato after a sacrifice bunt put him in scoring position.</p>
<p id="P4iBZ3">Right fielder Isaac Feldstein struck out, appearing to end the third, however the ball skipped out in front of the plate and Feldstein reached to load the bases.</p>
<p id="O8i7W9">First baseman Tyler Gnesda came up next and popped one up over the infield grass, but the ball fell between Agnos and Spencer Brickhouse, allowing Prato to score and make it 2-0 after three innings.</p>
<p id="f8YHAs">Defensive problems for the Pirates led to two more UConn runs in the fifth.</p>
<p id="YuLUSU">Yahn and Susi led off with singles and crossed the plate after left fielder Conor Moriarty hit a ball to right that was misplayed by Luke Bolka. It rolled all the way to the wall as both runners came around to make it a 4-0 lead.</p>
<p id="JO5fAH">UConn added one more for good measure in the sixth on an RBI single by Yahn.</p>
<p id="B8g0Pf">Feole shut down the East Carolina batting attack. The Pirates were hitless until the fifth and scoreless until the seventh, when they scored an unearned run on a sacrifice fly by Wesley Phillips. </p>
<p id="qE5928">UConn (16-9, 3-0) has a midweek contest next in what should be their home opener against Northeastern. First pitch at J.O. Christian Field is on Tuesday at 3 p.m.</p>
https://www.theuconnblog.com/2017/4/2/15153862/uconn-baseball-wins-game-3-over-east-carolinaShawn McGrath2017-04-01T19:53:31-04:002017-04-01T19:53:31-04:00UConn Baseball Beats ECU in Game 2
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<figcaption>Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog</figcaption>
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<p>The Huskies win their first extra-inning game of the year as they take the advantage in the series.</p> <p id="9rHuXb">UConn Baseball won its fourth consecutive game Saturday at Clark-LeClair Stadium, defeating East Carolina 3-2 after 10 innings. After winning game one, the Huskies clinched the win in their first conference series of the season.</p>
<p id="gGJ8ir">Wills Montgomerie followed up Tim Cate’s effort on Friday with a strong start of his own. He threw seven strong innings, allowing just one run on nine hits while striking out six and walking just one.</p>
<p id="PpqhZC">Center fielder Keith Krueger had a solid day at the plate, going 2-for-4. Designated hitter Tyler Gnesda and shortstop Anthony Prato also went 2-for-4.</p>
<p id="2sg82c">Catcher Zac Susi (1-for-4) had two RBI, including the game-winner.</p>
<p id="m4Tuqp">East Carolina drew first blood with a run in the fourth after an RBI single by Eric Tyler. The Pirates proceeded to load the bases with one out, but Montgomerie got out of the jam, stranding all three runners to keep the deficit at one.</p>
<p id="QG1zfM">Like Friday’s <a href="http://www.theuconnblog.com/2017/3/31/15144008/uconn-baseball-beats-east-carolina-in-conference-opener">victory</a>, the Huskies were scoreless and without much offense for much of the early and middle stages of the game. Before the eighth inning, only two players had reached scoring position.</p>
<p id="J6wkJ1">In the eighth, the Huskies got to Sam Lanier out of the bullpen for a pair of runs to take a late lead.</p>
<p id="s3FZUy">A sacrifice bunt by third baseman Willy Yahn put Krueger on third and Prato on second for catcher Zac Susi, who hit a line drive right to Dusty Baker in center field. Krueger beat the errant throw home to tie the game and Prato moved over to third.</p>
<p id="5dGGCo">Prato scored on a single by Gnesda to give UConn a 2-1 lead, but East Carolina made it interesting in the ninth. </p>
<p id="4rVIVf">Kirk Morgan led off with a single and was replaced on the bases by Brady Lloyd. A wild pitch and sacrifice bunt later, he was on third. On a 2-2 count, Ryan Radue threw a wild pitch and Lloyd crossed the plate to tie the game and send it to extra innings.</p>
<p id="SmMNBL">In the top of the 10th, the Huskies got a lead off the bat of Susi, who knocked one to left field to bring home Prato, who singled with one out. John Russell came in and got his ninth save of the year in the 10th.</p>
<p id="8a878i">UConn (15-9) and East Carolina will complete their series at 12 p.m. on Sunday. Mason Feole will be on the mound for UConn.</p>
https://www.theuconnblog.com/2017/4/1/15149926/uconn-baseball-beats-ecu-in-game-2Shawn McGrath2017-03-31T23:04:20-04:002017-03-31T23:04:20-04:00UConn Baseball Beats East Carolina in Conference Opener
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<figcaption>Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog</figcaption>
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<p>The Huskies resisted a late comeback effort by the Pirates to take a huge win.</p> <p id="NUVF59">UConn Baseball opened conference play on a positive note with a 3-2 win over East Carolina Friday night at Clark-LeClair Stadium in Greensville, North Carolina.</p>
<p id="qYzBBF">Center fielder Keith Krueger (1-for-3) drove in the game-winning RBI while third baseman Willy Yahn (2-for-4) and shortstop Anthony Prato (2-for-4) drove in a run each.</p>
<p id="vktnOi">Tyler Gnesda’s nine-game hitting streak was snapped after an 0-for-4 performance.</p>
<p id="X4xU2U">UConn starter Tim Cate spun a fabulous outing, going seven strong innings. He allowed only an unearned run and scattered five hits while striking out 13 batters and walking just two.</p>
<p id="R3i0S3">East Carolina starter Chris Holba shut the Huskies down through their first five at-bats. The Huskies had three singles, but none of them were able to reach second base safely.</p>
<p id="MRr4Kv">The Huskies took advantage of a tiring Holba and broke the tie in the sixth. First baseman Chris Winkel was on second after a single and a sacrifice bunt and then Prato hit a hard single up the middle to bring him home for a 1-0 lead. There could have been more, but Prato and Yahn were picked off on the bases.</p>
<p id="DEKtVu">The Pirates got one back in the bottom half of the inning but it easily could have been more. Travis Watkins led off with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. After a strikeout, he induced the chopper to Prato, but his throw was wide and the run scored.</p>
<p id="YlHNFj">East Carolina got two more runners to second and third, but Cate escaped with a tie.</p>
<p id="rVuvL3">The Huskies got a pair of insurance runs in the eighth, which was good because they would end up needing them. </p>
<p id="KWcQQy">Back-to-back doubles by Winkel and Krueger gave Winkel his second run of the game and made it 2-1. Krueger came across on a bloop single by Yahn over second base to give UConn 3-1 advantage.</p>
<p id="KxMl4s">There was a delay of 52 minutes due to lightning with one out in the bottom of the eighth. After the delay, the Pirates did score a run on a passed ball, but it wasn’t enough. The go-ahead reached base with one out in the ninth but ECU couldn’t get him across.</p>
<p id="bgin4X">UConn (14-9) and East Carolina play game two of their series on Saturday afternoon, with a 4 p.m. first pitch.</p>
https://www.theuconnblog.com/2017/3/31/15144008/uconn-baseball-beats-east-carolina-in-conference-openerShawn McGrath2017-03-31T10:16:54-04:002017-03-31T10:16:54-04:00UConn Baseball Weekend Preview: East Carolina
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<figcaption>Ian Bethune/The UConn Blog</figcaption>
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<p>The Huskies will open up conference play with the first of two series against the Pirates.</p> <p id="Ta0bs5">Last weekend, UConn Baseball (13-9) won its final non-conference series, against Seton Hall, splitting two one-run games on <a href="http://www.theuconnblog.com/2017/3/24/15051572/uconn-baseball-takes-weekend-opener-against-seton-hall">Friday</a> and <a href="http://www.theuconnblog.com/2017/3/25/15059432/uconn-baseball-falls-at-seton-hall">Saturday</a> before a 4-0 shutout victory on <a href="http://www.theuconnblog.com/2017/3/26/15065086/uconn-baseball-shuts-out-seton-hall-in-game-3">Sunday</a>.</p>
<p id="xGX3xk">UConn has two shutouts on the season both of which occurred on days Mason Feole started.</p>
<p id="wFnRtv">The pitching staff allowed just four runs over the weekend on 12 hits but had a problem with control. The Huskies walked 21 batters, 10 on Sunday. They made pitches when they had to, but walking seven batters per game could prove dangerous against stiffer competition.</p>
<p id="wSK3yX">First baseman Tyler Gnesda has quietly been a big part of the offense. He is riding a nine-game hitting streak and has been on base for others to notch RBI, as he as six runs<strong> </strong>over the streak<strong>.</strong></p>
<p id="esTRxu">Shortstop Anthony Prato has reached base safely in 12 of his last 13 games as well, with<strong> </strong>five multi-hit games.</p>
<p id="wDJc3y">After a <a href="http://www.theuconnblog.com/2017/3/29/15112544/uconn-baseball-takes-down-fairfield">win against Fairfield</a> on Wednesday, turn their focus to conference play with the first of two three-game series against East Carolina (18-8).</p>
<p id="OsTQnT">The Huskies and Pirates played two series last season as well, with UConn finishing 1-5, getting one win in Greenville before getting swept at home.</p>
<p id="glSbvE">ECU was ranked in the preseason and also the preseason pick for the conference title, but the Pirates were swept by Mercer two weekends ago. They rebounded with a sweep of Towson last weekend and a victory<strong> </strong>in their midweek game against Liberty on Tuesday.</p>
<p id="L11FH0">AAC Preseason Co-Pitcher of the Year Evan Kruczynski has an ankle injury and will not be pitching on Friday. Chris Holba (3-0, 1.82 ERA) will be filling in. He has not made a start since March 7, when he allowed four runs, two earned, in two innings against College of Charleston. He has a .236 BAA and has 36 strikeouts against just six walks in 29 2/3 innings.</p>
<p id="VybNY8">Trey Benton (3-0, 2.27) will get the ball on Saturday after a strong start on March 25 against Towson. He allowed two runs on six hits across seven innings, with 10 strikeouts and a walk. He leads the Pirates with a .186 ERA and in strikeouts with 42.</p>
<p id="OpTwXf">Sunday’s start belongs to Jake Agnos (1-0, 2.70). He allowed four runs, three of which were earned, in six innings against Towson on March 24.</p>
<p id="JHYAMR">He has the ability to shut down an offense, throwing five no-hit innings against Western Carolina with 11 strikeouts.</p>
<p id="aI0qU6">The Pirates are very strong offensively. Only one of their 10 regulars has a batting average below .280. </p>
<p id="GbXgaF">Eric Tyler (.371 AVG/.419 OBP/.514 SLG) is second on the team in average but leads the Pirates in hits and is second in slugging percentage as well as batting average.</p>
<p id="3mWUC0">Spencer Brickhouse (.337/.391/.604) provides the power. He has seven<strong> </strong>home runs and 12 extra-base hits, both team-highs. He also leads East Carolina in slugging percentage and runs.</p>
<p id="lIUSeh">Everyone does something well and no one is best on the team in too many categories, giving the UConn pitching staff a tall task in shutting down this lineup.</p>
<p id="JQCrZD">The Huskies head down to Greenville to get the series going on Friday at 6:30 p.m., followed by a 4 p.m. Saturday first pitch. The series will conclude on Sunday at 12 p.m.</p>
https://www.theuconnblog.com/2017/3/31/13472694/uconn-baseball-weekend-preview-east-carolinaShawn McGrath