Game Notes | ESPN+ | MIXLR

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - For the second-straight weekend, the UConn baseball team (3-6) faces off against a Top-25 opponent with the Huskies playing a three-game set against the No. 25 UCSB Gauchos at Cesar Uyesaka Stadium. The series opens on Friday, March 8 at 7:05 p.m. ET and follows on Saturday, March 9 at 6:05 p.m. ET and wraps up on Sunday, March 10 at 4:05 p.m. ET. All three games will be video streamed on ESPN+ and audio streamed on MIXLR.

The Huskies have played the No. 9 ranked strength of schedule in the early part of 2024 and are coming off a series loss at No. 23 Auburn. The Huskies knocked off the Tigers in game two of the series behind an excellent performance out of the bullpen for LHP Gabe Van Emon. The Lexington, Mass. native earned his first win as a Husky with 5.1 shutout innings of work that featured just three hits allowed and six punch outs. With his performance, Van Emon will slide into the starting rotation and pitch on Saturday. 

Luke Broadhurst is coming off a strong debut weekend in 2024 with a 6-10 series at Auburn that included a double and four runs batted in. Senior Korey Morton continued to swing a hot stick and is hitting .375 with seven runs scored, three doubles, two homers and six runs batted in. 

UCSB ranked No. 25 in the latest D1Baseball.com rankings and enters this weekend at 6-5 on the season and are coming off a road series win at Oregon and midweek blowout win against Villanova. The Gauchos entered the year with a star-studded pitching staff that features Matt Ager (No. 5 SP D1Baseball.com), Mike Gutierrez (No. 83 SP D1Basebal.com) and Hudson Barrett (No. 4 RP D1Baseball.com). Third baseman Zander Darby leads the way offensively with four home runs, 10 runs batted in and 12 runs scored while collecting a team-high 16 hits in nine games. 

UConn has already faced a ranked Gauchos team in its past with the only other trip to Santa Barbara coming in 2016 against the No. 21 ranked team in the country. The Huskies were swept in that series against a team that eventually reached the 2016 College World Series. A series that featured an Anthony Kay vs. Shane Bieber match up in the series opener. UConn also faced future Major Leaguers Noah Davis and Kyle Nelson. 

This weekend kicks off the Huskies Spring Break trip that will feature eight games in 10 days. UConn is 11-5 the past two years during its spreak break trip including four series wins.