South Florida series

[ATLDYKA]

1st and 3rd and 2 out and USF gets a hit and a 3-2 lead again. Unbelievable. Our pitchers have no room for error. Offense blew big opportunities to have a good size lead.

 

[dbmill]

I disagree about Marzi struggling with his command, he pitched fine for most of the game. The three hit by pitches and one walk have come in the last two innings. He's tiring, and he should probably have been relieved at the beginning of this inning.

 

[ATLDYKA]

Error on Melley, another run scores 4-2.

 

[ATLDYKA]

I agree or at least after the hit batter in the inning. But that is Penders for you stretching his pitchers as usual. When you have Rutoulo fresh not sure why you don't go to him earlier.

 

[ATLDYKA]

Well, he just had pass ball and then a single and 2 more runs. 6-2. I guess it's just protocol for this team. You finally get runs and tie it up, so why not just give it back.

 

[ATLDYKA]

Put runners on 1st and 3rd with 1 out in top of the 9th and Yavarone grounds into DP to end the game. What else would you expect.
Game 6-2. We out hit them 6-4 believe it or not.

 

[dbmill]

WHUS post game interview. Penders said that Brian Ward will start tomorrow, Tabakman is not yet ready to go with his back. That factored into the decision to leave Marzi in the game tonight as long as he did. Penders figures that he needs to keep the bullpen fresher with Ward starting tomorrow, so he gambled on Marzi going longer tonight. I can definitely understand that line of reasoning.

 

[dbmill]

Penders did not say this, but there is something else that factored into his decision to keep Marzi in. The UConn bullpen at this point is not all that deep in pitchers that he would trust in a tight game. Over, Slade, Ruotolo, and Mahoney is it for now. Over the course of the season, Penders may develop a trust in other relief pitchers, but it hasn't happened yet. From what I've seen over the last few years, Penders will very rarely put a reliever into a tight game who has not won him over. We'll have to see if Penders develops some of this trust in Radue sometime this season.

 

[huskymedic]

Disappointing loss after tying it up... Gotta get out of Tampa w/ one.

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/032214aaa.html

Game Notes
- Anthony Marzi now has 180 career strikeouts, moving into 10th in program history. He is currently one away from tying John Kelly (92-94) for ninth.
- Marzi is also eighth all-time in UConn history with 242.2 innings pitched, becoming the sixth player at Connecticut to rank in the top-10 in both innings and strikeouts.
- Vinny Siena recorded his sixth multi-hit game of the season and second in UConn’s last three games.

UConn and USF conclude their conference series with a 1 p.m. start tomorrow afternoon.

 

[dbmill]

Penders said last night that Brian Ward gets the start today for the injured Tabakman. With Ward's inconsistency and wildness over the years, and with Anthony Kay having just taken his place in the rotation, Ward getting this start is like getting a temporary reprieve from the governor. Hope he makes the most of it, as another bad outing might get him consigned to mop up duty out of the bullpen. I really think Penders has lost his patience and trust with the guy, so this start might be an audition for what role he plays on this club for the rest of the season.

 

[huskymedic]

UConnBaseball11:48am via Web
First pitch for game three at USF is at 1 p.m. Stats: gousfbulls.com/liveStats/live… Video:gousfbulls.com/liveEvents/liv… Audio:WHUS.org

#UConn lineup:

Sundberg - CF
Siena - 2B
Davey - RF
Melley - 1B
Yavarone - LF
Daniello - 3B
Sullivan - DH
McDowell - C
Hill - SS
Ward - P

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Wow. Feel real bad for UConn pitchers. They've been awesome. The hitters? Big shots against the Sacred Hearts, Harvards, St. Peters and CCSUs of the world. Put a southern pitcher up against them (or one from Ohio State) and it's a "swing and a miss". And they can no longer use the argument that the southern schools start the season earlier or that they play more games like back in the day. Power Conference 5 pitching staff and an NEC line-up in field. Too bad these guys can't swing the bat against southern pitchers - like the freshman from Auburn who shut them down.

 

[dbmill]

Top of 3rd, UConn leading 2-0. Melley double in the 1st inning drives in two runs. Meanwhile, Brian Ward has had two uneventful innings so far.

 

[ATLDYKA]

Wow. Feel real bad for UConn pitchers. They've been awesome. The hitters? Big shots against the Sacred Hearts, Harvards, St. Peters and CCSUs of the world. Put a southern pitcher up against them (or one from Ohio State) and it's a "swing and a miss". And they can no longer use the argument that the southern schools start the season earlier or that they play more games like back in the day. Power Conference 5 pitching staff and an NEC line-up in field. Too bad these guys can't swing the bat against southern pitchers - like the freshman from Auburn who shut them down.

I think this may be a little harsh. However having said that I get tired of hearing the excuse that we are young. Every team has a few freshmen that are called upon to produce. These are supposed to be better recruits who need to step up. We do have a lot of Sophomore's but they have a lot of experience now and a few juniors. So there's enough of a blend where these guys should be producing more. As far as the pitchers my only knock is wildness of our upper classmen, too many walks and hit by pitches. Perfect example as I type this is we have 2nd and 3rd with 1 out and Sundberg up and he whiffs. Way too many instances of stranding guys at third and less than 2 outs. Can't have it as much as they do it.

 

[dbmill]

I think this may be a little harsh. However having said that I get tired of hearing the excuse that we are young. Every team has a few freshmen that are called upon to produce. These are supposed to be better recruits who need to step up. We do have a lot of Sophomore's but they have a lot of experience now and a few juniors. So there's enough of a blend where these guys should be producing more. As far as the pitchers my only knock is wildness of our upper classmen, too many walks and hit by pitches. Perfect example as I type this is we have 2nd and 3rd with 1 out and Sundberg up and he whiffs. Way too many instances of stranding guys at third and less than 2 outs. Can't have it as much as they do it.

UConn has two players in the starting lineup who are juniors, and one of them is a transfer. Two are freshmen, and the rest are sophomores. That is a very young team.

 

[dbmill]

After 5 innings, UConn up 4-0. Brian Ward is doing the job today, no hits, no walks, one hit by pitch.

 

[ATLDYKA]

Ward goes 6.1 hitless innings before giving up first hit, but now he has given up 3 straight and a run. 4-1
Penders, don't stretch him. Get him out.

 

[ATLDYKA]

Add in 2 fielding errors in the 7th and now it is 4-2. We have 4 errors on the day.

 

[huskymedic]

Add in 2 fielding errors in the 7th and now it is 4-2. We have 4 errors on the day.

As the father of a first baseman - I cringe every time that first to second throw around a runner has to be made

 

[dbmill]

Ward pitched by far his best game of the season. Probably would have finished the 7th inning if it weren't for the miscues in the field. Mahoney on in relief, and records a strike out to get out of the jam.

 

[dbmill]

Davey singles in the top of the 9th, and Garabedian comes in to pinch run. Unlike last night, this is a good use of the pinch runner, as Garabedian will be in right field for defense in the bottom of the 9th.

 

[dbmill]

Well, Testani came in to play right, but it's still a defensive replacement for Davey.

 

[huskymedic]

Phew...

 

[huskymedic]

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/032314aaa.html

Game Notes
- The win was UConn’s first in American Athletic Conference play and snapped a streak of eight consecutive regular season losses to USF.
- David Mahoney has not allowed an earned run in 10 appearances this year and 22 overall appearances dating back to April 30, 2013.
- UConn is 9-2 this year when out-hitting its opponent.
- The Huskies had two triples in a game for the first time this season

Up next, UConn opens its home schedule when it hosts Hartford on Tuesday, March 25. The Huskies and Hawks will square off at J.O. Christian Field at 3 p.m.