Men Local trio playing key role in Eastern Connecticut's baseball success (JI)

[huskymedic]

 

[dbmill]

ECSU has a history of being a strong D3 baseball team. Before the new baseball facility was built at UConn, Eastern for a number of years had a baseball facility that was certainly better then J.O. Christian field at UConn.

In addition to the 3 former UConn players mentioned in the above tweet, there are a few other guys on the Eastern baseball team who have connections to UConn baseball. Outfielder Ryan Bagdasarian is another guy who spent time on the UConn baseball roster who was redshirted and never played a spring regular season game with the Huskies. Bagdasarian also played at Avery Point. Pitcher Tommy Benincaso was never on the playing roster for UConn baseball, but spent a few years with the team as a bullpen catcher for the Huskies. And finally, freshman catcher Hank Penders, the son of the UConn head coach, is also on the team.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Their softball team is #4 too.

 

[WrenchFan69]

Some very good college baseball in Connecticut these days. UConn the premier D1 team in the northeast, Avery Point a consistent JuCo contender, ECSU with multiple D3 national championships. Love to see it

 

[dbmill]

Some very good college baseball in Connecticut these days. UConn the premier D1 team in the northeast, Avery Point a consistent JuCo contender, ECSU with multiple D3 national championships. Love to see it

Have to admit I miss to a certain degree the days when UConn baseball always seemed to have Avery Point transfers on the roster. That pipeline seems to have ended a few years ago (it seemed to have coincided pretty much with the retirement of long time Avery Point coach Roger Bidwell), but that's the way things go. The UConn baseball program seems to be in a better place these days, but it is a piece of the recent past that I miss. UConn baseball is certainly getting quality transfers and recruits into the program from various other sources.

 

[TRest]

Have to admit I miss to a certain degree the days when UConn baseball always seemed to have Avery Point transfers on the roster. That pipeline seems to have ended a few years ago (it seemed to have coincided pretty much with the retirement of long time Avery Point coach Roger Bidwell), but that's the way things go. The UConn baseball program seems to be in a better place these days, but it is a piece of the recent past that I miss. UConn baseball is certainly getting quality transfers and recruits into the program from various other sources.

I enjoy walking around the Avery Point campus and have seen some batting cages, etc. where do they play their games?

 

[huskymedic]

I enjoy walking around the Avery Point campus and have seen some batting cages, etc. where do they play their games?

Back up the road a bit by EB @ Washington Park.

 

[dbmill]

I enjoy walking around the Avery Point campus and have seen some batting cages, etc. where do they play their games?

Back up the road a bit by EB @ Washington Park.

The baseball field that Avery Point baseball plays at in Washington Park in Groton has just been renamed in honor of long time Avery Point baseball coach Roger Bidwell:

Roger Bidwell Field is the perfect tribute to one of our all-time greats

Groton — The main event was still a few minutes away Sunday, the sunny weather befitting the occasion, when many of Roger Bidwell's former players passed the time through giggles. Some of them took be...

www.theday.com

 

[Duncan Idaho]

They dont receive any funding from the AD. Their sports get monies from renting out the pool and basketball court for things like volleyball tournaments plus fundraisers. Not sure about weddings at the mansion. Before Roger they were coached by George Greer who also played at UConn then played in the Cardinal organization (made cover of SI). After AP he went on to be the HC at Davidson and Wake then MLB. Very fortunate to have had two terrific, committed coaches over a long period of time.

 

[huskymedic]

Broadhurst, Donohue and Benincaso recognized:

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[mauconnfan]

Have to admit I miss to a certain degree the days when UConn baseball always seemed to have Avery Point transfers on the roster. That pipeline seems to have ended a few years ago (it seemed to have coincided pretty much with the retirement of long time Avery Point coach Roger Bidwell), but that's the way things go. The UConn baseball program seems to be in a better place these days, but it is a piece of the recent past that I miss. UConn baseball is certainly getting quality transfers and recruits into the program from various other sources.

Roger was a very good coach as well as a player. Played quite a few games against him and his New London Vagabond teammates late 70s-early 80’s. Really good guy too!

 

[HuskyDogArt]

Here's something worth mentioning. Avery Point and University of Tampa has something in common. Henry Plant built Tampa Bay Hotel, which is now University of Tampa and he lived in the Mansion at Avery Point.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Here's something worth mentioning. Avery Point and University of Tampa has something in common. Henry Plant built Tampa Bay Hotel, which is now University of Tampa and he lived in the Mansion at Avery Point.

Same family. Son, Morton built the Branford House at Avery Point.

 

[huskymedic]

Former UConn Bullpen Catcher Tommy Benincaso

Baseball: Eastern Connecticut State holds Panthers for 4-3 win at Division III World Series - LaGrange Athletics

lagrange.prestosports.com

 

[huskymedic]

I’m taking it as a good omen…

 

[dbmill]

A number of former Huskies doing well, it's good to see.

 

[huskymedic]

A number of former Huskies doing well, it's good to see.

 

[huskymedic]

-> Eastern left the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth, but Tommy Benincaso, grad student from Norwalk, slammed the door over the final 2 2/3 innings, striking out two in the ninth, slamming his glove down as the final out was recorded on a ground ball. <-

-> Like UConn, Eastern’s team has been bolstered by transfers and grad students. Three of Eastern’s top players, Donahue, Bagdasarian and All-American Luke Broadhurst from Stafford, all began their college careers at UConn. <-

 

[dbmill]

-> Eastern left the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth, but Tommy Benincaso, grad student from Norwalk, slammed the door over the final 2 2/3 innings, striking out two in the ninth, slamming his glove down as the final out was recorded on a ground ball. <-

-> Like UConn, Eastern’s team has been bolstered by transfers and grad students. Three of Eastern’s top players, Donahue, Bagdasarian and All-American Luke Broadhurst from Stafford, all began their college careers at UConn. <-

And Tommy Benincaso was a bullpen catcher for UConn before transferring to Eastern. A lot of Husky flavor down the road from Storrs.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[dbmill]