CAGUAS, Puerto Rico - The UConn baseball team (0-3) rallied for three runs in the ninth but came up just short, 7-6, against Penn State on Sunday night at Estadio Sola Morales.

Penn State led throughout by jumping out to a 5-0 lead after two innings. 

Freshman LHP  Cayden Suchy came out of the pen and settled things down by going a career-high 4.0 innings, allowing one run and striking out four.

Junior Ryan Daniels had a strong night at the plate with three hits including a pair of two-strike, two-out RBI singles. 

RHP Jude Abbadessa helped get out of a jam in the seventh by stranding runners at second and third with a strikeout and groundout back to the mound. It was the first appearance for Abbadessa since May 24, 2023.

In the ninth inning, the Huskies entered the frame trailing 7-3. Rob Rispoli led off the frame with a single and Caleb Shpur followed with a double. After a walk to Sam Biller, Grant MacArthur stepped to the plate representing the tying run. The UConn designated hitter collected his third hit of the night, a long line drive down the left field line that clipped off the glove of the right fielder. Two runs came into score but confusion on the bases led to MAcArthur being ruled out at second base.

Junior Maddix Dalena followed with an RBI double down the right field line to make it a one-run ballgame and put the tying run at second base. After a strikeout, Daniels battled at the plate fouling off two strike pitches and smoked a ball into center field but Nittany Lions CF Paxton Kling made a sliding catch to end the game. 

UConn will be back in action next weekend at FAU with game one on Friday, February 21 at 6:30 p.m.