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OT- Uconn Baseball - BE & Regional Champs !

The win streak is now 12 and this big dude and seeming MLB prospect is now 8-0:
https://uconnhuskies.com/sports/baseball/roster/austin-peterson/12104
yep, I went out to Storrs last night and caught the baseball game and some of the Football Concert.

Seemed like a decent amount of scouts behind home plate. Big Pete took them to the 9th until he had 2 runners on and Willis the closer (with not great numbers , who as struggled at times this year) almost loaded the bases by going 3-0 on his first batter. Then he seemed to trust his stuff and came back with some 95 mph fastballs and off speed stuff, went after the hitters and struck him out and the next guy up to grab the save. Biggest key though for Uconn on this night was a ton of great plays behind Big Pete.

 
That's not even the worse part according to Uconn BB guru, Chris Jones yesterday during the game.. He said they can't afford any losses to these Big East teams, despite a historically good season so far. It could put them on the bubble for the NCAA's. Even with Uconn's high poll rankings the NCAA goes by RPI mostly and Big East baseball is the one bad sport downgrade from conference re-alingment. And even though Uconn tried to overcome this by scheduling good programs OOC, alot of those teams aren't having the greatest years. Jones said it's not just the BE, it's pretty much all of the North East, with the closest good team being someone like Virginia.....as far as the BE, Creighton #84 and Xavier #93, are the only 2 in the top 100.

 
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As I mentioned earlier, all the teams in the Big East other than UConn and Creighton suck monkey balls. UConn is going to have to dominate the league and they likely will.
 
Another tough day for the Uconn bats. Nova's high ERA pitchers gave Uconn trouble all week-end with alot of off speed pitches and breaking balls. And Penders even according to the play by play man Chris Jones and former Husky Randy Lavigne, played to conservative at times. Continuing to take the bats out his batters hands by playing station to station/small ball, while giving up outs with sacrifices that didn't work most times. But.........

 
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Huskies bats continue to struggle with only 6 hits in 10 innings vs. Northeastern. But the good news is their 6 pitchers only gave up 2 runs on 3 hits. Then got a clutch hit to top off the 10th to win 5-2. Huskies (33-8) take on Yale (17-14) tomorrow back in Storrs.

 
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This article discusses Reggie Crawford as one of 7 pitchers thought to be 1st round MLB draft picks having to undergo Tommy John surgery. I knew Reggie was high on the MLB draft radar but I thought it was more for his bat than his pitching abilities:
It's really incredible the amount of talented young arms that are getting hurt and I am wondering whether there isn't something wrong with how young pitchers are being coached and trained. Specifically, I wonder why more pitchers aren't using their legs like Tom Seaver did back in the day. Seaver had a nice career and won over 300 games, but was known for using leg drive in his windup. I also note Nolan Ryan threw harder than all of these guys and he never got hurt. Maybe he was a freak but still I don't understand the epidemic of TJ injuries with guys who are pitching less than Seaver and Ryan, who were horses, ever did.
 
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This article discusses Reggie Crawford as one of 7 pitchers thought to be 1st round MLB draft picks having to undergo Tommy John surgery. I knew Reggie was high on the MLB draft radar but I thought it was more for his bat than his pitching abilities:
The broadcast team on NESN yesterday (vs. Northeastern) was talking about Crawford being a top 10 MLB pick and some even said as high as #3. They also said he might've been one of the best hitters (lead Uconn last year in HR/RBI) in CBB this year. But also mentioned he was throwing 100MPH for Team USA before the TJ surgery. Also with how good the surgery is now, he could even throw harder coming back. So it sounds like he could really be a two way guy depending on who drafts him in MLB.

Also what was amazing is that if Crawford doesn't get hurt and LHP Frank Mozzicato (KC's 1st pick out of East Catholic who was going to Storrs) didn't get so good, Uconn would have had 2 future 1st rounders on this years team.
 
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Next up for the 34-8 Huskies is a trip to Indy to play Butler, who wouldn't travel to Storrs last year and claimed travel issues.

 
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Butler is 18-23-1, but 11-6 at home:
Best comeback win of the year for the HOOK C. After an uncharacteristic sloppy game defensively ( they lead the BE in fielding % too) and being down 7-4 in the ninth, they come back to tie it and then win it in the top of the 10th with an inside the park homerun by speed burner - David Smith (his 2nd HR of the day, his first was a monster blast)



Smitty's 1st HR-
 
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Huskies ( 37-8/ 11-1 in the BE) pummel Bulter 17-4 for the sweep setting up a showdown in Storrs next weekend vs. Creighton. Who also only had one BE loss to going into today's action. Huskies were lead with 5 RBI's, 4 on this grand slam, by Seton Hall grad transfer Casey Dana (as typical, lousy camera work by alot of these schools who produce these games for FLO Sports)
 
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Is the top 10 in store for this team next week? What is UConn's highest ranking ever? Is this team going there?
You'd hope since they have the 2nd most wins in the country behind TENN. But it's tough to move up because of the BE teams RPI. They have 2 other series left after this week-end, Xavier at home and G-town on the road and are finishing up vs. the top 3. Plus they have a couple of mid week single games vs Bryant and N'eastern who are both around 160 RPI. Pretty much if they want to move up or have a chance to host an NCAA site, they probably can't lose more than 1 or 2 to close out....Also only the top 4 teams make the BE tourney in Ohio.

BE-standings-may-1.jpg
 
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Huskies take game one of the battle for 1st place in the BE on 8 innings of 3 hit pitching ( 0 earned runs) from Austin Peterson , now 9-0 on the year. Uconn got the job done on 7 hits and this 2 run 7th inning HR from catcher, Matt Donlan, off of the top MLB prospect in the BE.....Creighton's, Dylan Tebrake

 
UConn has moved up to #13:
They've also been moving up in the RPI from the 50's a few weeks ago. Now that they're playing some of the higher ranked teams in the Big East, Huskies are currently #35. Everything in the NCAA baseball seeding, unlike hoops, goes by the RPI, according to Uconn Baseball Coms director, Chris Jones

They also have the highest ranked opponent ( Xavier, now up to #74 ) in the BE coming to Storrs, for their final home series this week-end. And Uconn's 2 remaining mid week games, Northeastern, tomorrow (home) and Bryant (away) next Tues, have better RPI's, than everyone in the BE except Creighton and Xavier, so if Uconn takes care of business that should help.
 
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UConn has moved up to #13:
#8-

#10-
 
Looks like the Huskies have their hitting shoes back on for 2 days in a row, with another double digit win,
by 17-6 .

 
Huskies (43-10) get a mid-week road win 9-2 vs. a team with a higher RPI (Bryant is #111) than 5 of the 8 Big East teams. Uconn gets 16 hits plus 2 HR's from the Albino Rhino and give up no earned runs from 4 pitchers.

 
Huskies falling apart in the last BE week-end series in Georgetown's band box stadium (375' to CF). Their closer blows a 9th inning 5 run comeback by Uconn to give em' the lead. By giving up single runs to tie in the bottom of the 9th and a walkoff run/hit in the 10th.

Huskies could put theirselves in jeopardy of an NCAA at large berth if they get swept today.

 
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Well Penders and Uconn are choking away a good season by getting swept. Every move he made turned to coal, including killing any chance at a big inning by wanting to play small ball and giving up outs and getting thrown out at the plate trying to bunt for runs.( he had a guy @ 1st and 3rd w/ 1 out) Also a beauty was pulling his starter who had only given up 1 run through 5 plus innings. Naturally his reliever gives up a 2 run homer on the 1st batter he faced.( and 3 runs while only getting 2 outs) You can't play tight (they had 16 LOB) this time of year, but that seems like the case. Well Uconn probably has to win the BE tourney now if they want to make the NCAA's because their RPI is plummeting.

 
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As Joe Girardi would say, 16 men left on base is not what you want.

On the positive side, despite getting swept they are still 30 games over .500
 
Uconn on to the Championship round on FS2.

"For the second straight season the Huskies are set to return to the title game, and are set to play the winner of Saturday’s late game between Creighton and No. 3 seed Xavier Sunday at Noon ET. If necessary, a rubber match is slated for 4 p.m. Both Championship games will be broadcast live on FS2. "


 
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