STORRS, Conn. - The UConn baseball team (21-17, 8-4 BIG EAST) utilized the home run ball to earn an 8-6 win against Seton Hall to sweep the series and move its win streak to eight games.

Seton Hall scored for the third-straight day in the first inning with an RBI ground out from Jimmy Brennan.

The Huskies and Tyler Minick immediately responded with a two-out, RBI single to even the score at 1-1. 

In the third inning, Ryan Daniels hammered a 413 foot two-run home run down the right field to give the Huskies their first lead of the day.

A couple batters later, tri-captain Bryan Padilla hit a long fly ball to centerfield that AJ Soldra couldn't find in the sun and the Brooklyn, N.Y. native raced around the bases for his 24th career home run and first inside the park homer to make it 5-1.

LHP Charlie West started the game for UConn and struggled with his command with six walks and one hit by pitch in 3.2 innings but the sophomore was able to limit the Pirates to just two runs on two hits.

RHP Sean Finn came out of the pen for the second-straight day and diced up the Pirates with 2.1 shutout frames with five strikeouts and eventually earned his fifth win of the season.

With a taxed bullpen and RHP Hector Alejandro struggling to throw strikes, UConn closer Brady Afthim came out of the bullpen with runners on and one out in the seventh.

Brady stranded the bases loaded in the frame to keep it a 5-2 lead. 

In the bottom of the eighth, Connor Lane provided insurance for the Huskies with a two-out, three-run homer into the UConn bullpen in left field. The UConn catcher has homered in three-straight starts.

In the top of the ninth, the Pirates rallied with a solo homer against Afthim and then after an error from Bryan Padilla kept the inning alive, AJ Soldra delivered a two-run double to make it an 8-6 game.

Afthim induced a ground out to third against Kevin Milewski and the throw was high from Padilla and Minick had to jump to make the catch and landed on the base. The first base umpire ruled Milewski safe but after review the umpires overturned the call and ended the ninth inning rally.

The Huskies will take their eight-game win streak into a Tuesday, April 22 contest against UMass at Dunkin' Park in Hartford, Conn.

Game Notes

• Ryan Daniels hit his fifth home run of the season on Saturday. It is his first home run since March 11 against LIU.
• The Huskies move to 10-0 all-time against Seton Hall at Elliot Ballpark.
• Sean Finn earned his team-leading fifth victory of the season.
• Bryan Padilla hit the first inside the park home run for a Husky batter since David Smith did so against Butler on April 29, 2022. Erick Stock had the last inside the park homer at Elliot Ballpark for a UConn batter on April 9, 2022 vs. St. John's