HookC Mounts Late Rally, Win Series Opener vs. Hoyas, 7-6

TYSONS, Va. - In a back and forth BIG EAST battle, the UConn baseball team (18-18, 5-2 BIG EAST) mounted a late rally to win the series opener at Georgetown (26-11, 8-2 BIG EAST), 7-6, on Friday night at Capital One Park.

Trailing 4-1 with one out in the seventh, the Huskies started to rally against the Georgetown bullpen. Jake Studley was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a single off the bat of Maddix Dalena. Tyler Minick walked to load the bases for Caleb Shpur.

The UConn center fielder followed with a two-run double down the left field line to make it a 4-3 deficit. After a hit by pitch to Paul Tammaro to reload the bases, Luke Broadhurst gave the Huskies their first lead of the night with a two-run single to make it 5-4. 

The Hoyas would answer back in the bottom of the seventh by regaining the lead on an Owen Carapellotti two-run single to make it 6-5. 

RHP Joe Carrea came out of the pen with runners on the corners and one out and got a key out at the plate on a bunt back towards the mound. The Cranford, N.J. native was able to field and throw Christian Ficca at the plate to keep it a one-run game.

That proved to be important because the Huskies rallied back in the top of the eighth. Shpur recorded his third hit of the game, a clutch two-out RBI single to bring the score level at 6-6.

LHP Braden Quinn came out of the pen and kept the momentum for the Huskies by striking out the side in the eighth. Broadhurst followed with his 23rd career home run, a solo shot, to put the Huskies back on top, 7-6.

Quinn came back out for the ninth and earned his second win of the year by working around a lead off single with three-straight strikeouts against the middle of the Hoyas order. 

UConn starter Ian Cooke was solid on the mound for the Huskies with 5.0 innings and 10 strikeouts on the night. The New Milford, Conn. native allowed four runs but got out of a pair of jams that limited the damage and kept UConn in the game.

UConn looks to win a series on a Saturday with a 4 p.m. first pitch for game two of the series.

Game Notes

• Caleb Shpur recorded his first three-hit game as a Husky on Friday. The OF has now reached base in 15-straight games.
• The UConn pitching staff struck out a season-high 18 batters. 
• Luke Broadhurst and Korey Morton both homered on Friday night. The duo have each homered 23 times in their UConn careers. 
• UConn has tied a season-high with eight-straight games with a home run.