Hook C Drops First Big East Series to Xavier
It was opening weekend for Big East play, and the Huskies faced one of their toughest challenges right off the bat—sorry, bad pun—against the Xavier Musketeers. In three of the past four Big East tournament finals, these two teams have squared off, with UConn winning the first two matchups. However, Xavier got the better of the Huskies in 2023. This weekend, the Musketeers claimed the series, taking two of three games in a crucial conference showdown, especially in a league where major matchups can be few and far between.
Game One: Xavier (8-6)
UConn starter: Oliver Pudvar (3-0 2.57 ERA)
Xavier starter: Ryan Piech (1-1 5.67 ERA)
W: Piech (2-1)
L: Pudvar (3-1)
S: Jake Hooker (1)
This was one of those games where the score made the game look far close than it was. UConn got things started in the first with a Rob Rispoli solo HR, but it would be all Xavier after that. Carter Henderson hit a three-run shot in the third, and the Musketeers would put together a couple runs in the fifth playing some small ball, giving them a 6-1 lead going into the sixth. A two-run HR by Aedan Anderson in the eighth looked to be an exclamation mark, but the Huskies would put up five in the ninth, and had the tying run at the plate with two outs, but Grant MacArthur struck out swinging, ending the threat.
It was a disappointing result for Pudvar, who had emerged as the Huskies’ most dependable starter thus far. Pudvar threw seven innings, allowing six earned runs on seven hits, walking two but striking out nine. Kyle Peters came on for the eighth and allowed the Anderson HR. For the Musketeers, Piech threw a nice game, working five innings, allowing just the Rispoli HR, the only hit allowed by Piech, and striking out seven Huskies to earn his second win of the year. Xavier needed four pitchers to end the ninth-inning rally, with Jake Hooker striking out MacArthur, the only batter he faced, to earn the save.
Game Two: UConn (9-4)
UConn starter: Cayden Suchy (2-3 5.70 ERA)
Xavier starter: Luke Hoskins (2-0 4.91 ERA)
W: Suchy (3-3)
L: Hoskins (2-1)
The Huskies started hot again in this one, with a Ryan Daniels SAC fly, followed by a Beau Root three-run HR, and UConn had a 4-0 lead before Xavier stepped to the plate. Leading 5-2 in the sixth, UConn blew the game open with a Bryan Padilla RBI double, and a Rispoli RBI single. Xavier would grab two in the bottom half of the frame on a Jason Jelic two-run shot, but Tyler Minick hit a solo shot of his own in the top of the seventh, then Matt Garbowski hit an RBI single up the middle, putting the game away.
Suchy was effective, throwing 5.1 innings, allowing three runs, two earned, striking out four but walking three. Ian Cooke, who entered the year as the presumed ace, threw four innings out of the bullpen, allowing three runs, no runs, no walks, and four Ks. For Xavier, Hoskins threw six innings, allowing seven runs, all earned, walking just one and striking out two Huskies. The Musketeers left 12 men on base.
Game Three: Xavier (10-7)
UConn starter: Tommy Ellisen (1-2 6.10 ERA)
Xavier starter: Ben Weber (2-2 2.91 ERA)
W: Ellisen (1-3)
L: Weber (3-2)
S: Hooker (2)
In the rubber game, it was Xavier that jumped out to the early lead, on some power from Connor Misch (triple), and Clay Burdette (HR) in the first to open with a 3-0 lead. Facing a 4-0 deficit in the top of the third, UConn would get on the board with a couple of RBI fielder’s choices, but unable to really take advantage of RISP. Anderson would get another two-run HR for the Musketeers, and three runs in the sixth put the game away, as Xavier led 10-5. The Huskies would get two back in the top of the ninth on a Ryan Daniels two-run double, but that was it, and the first Big East series of the season went to Xavier.
Ellisen went just 1.2 innings, something the Huskies cannot have, allowing four runs, all earned, on two walks. Jude Abbadessa came on in relief, and didn’t fare much better, allowing two more runs in one inning of work. The only pitcher of the five that didn’t allow a run was reliable closer Afthim, who allowed two hits in 2.2 innings but no runs, on three strikeouts. For Xavier, Weber earned his third win of the year, but it wasn’t a stellar effort, allowing eleven hits, and five earned runs. Hooker came on to work the final 3.1 innings to earn the save.
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