The Huskies head into a big conference weekend with positive momentum.
UConn baseball secured its 10th consecutive victory on Wednesday night as the Huskies broke out with a six-run eighth to beat Army, 12-5.
It was a bullpen game for the Huskies, as seven pitchers entered the game and only Sam Hutchinson got more than five outs. He took over for Thomas Galusha in the first, who had already allowed two runs and loaded the bases in the first. Hutchinson was able to get a ground ball and strand the bases loaded, ending the threat. He also handled the second and third, keeping the Black Knights at bay.
The home team got a run back in the first, as Caleb Shpur beat out the back end of a potential double play and stole second, putting him in position to score on Aidan Dougherty’s single past a lunging John McKillop at first base.
Army pushed its lead back out to two in the fourth with a Thomas Schreck solo home run, spoiling an otherwise clean frame for Frank Sprito IV.
However, Connor Lane and Grant MacArthur each walked on full counts to begin the fifth as catalysts for a four-run frame to give the Huskies the lead for good. Sam Biller knocked a ground ball that looked like a double play, but MacArthur was safe at second before Biller was retired, putting two runners in scoring position. Rob Rispoli singled for his second hit of the day to bring his team within one and Shpur’s sacrifice fly tied the proceedings.
Ryan Daniels, who went yard twice on Wednesday, delivered with a two-run shot for a lead that would last the rest of the evening.
JT Caruso, who got the win, combined with Jude Abbadessa to handle the fifth, sixth and seventh with just one hit allowed. In the bottom of the seventh, Biller and Daniels were at second and third, respectively, with two outs. Daniels got an aggressive secondary lead and forced a throw from the catcher all the way down to second base. The runners took advantage and each moved up 90 feet, putting UConn up 6-3.
Army brought it closer in the top of the eighth, taking advantage of a leadoff error, and got another in the ninth, but the Huskies put it away with a six-run eighth, taking away all hopes of a comeback bid.
The first two hitters were retired, but the next six, started with a Lane double. He came in on a MacArthur single and Tyler Minick came in to pinch run. He went from first to third on a Biller base hit, putting him in position to score on a wild pitch. Rispoli walked and Shpur recorded an infield hit, loading the bases for Daniels’ second big fly. He got a fastball down the middle to start his at-bat and knew what to do with it, depositing it well over the right field fence to go up 12-4.
UConn (23-17) is heading down Utopia Parkway this weekend to take on St. John’s in Queens in what is the Huskies’ last chance to help its bubble case with solid wins. First pitch on Friday is at 3 p.m. on FloSports.