UConn baseball drops weekend finale at ODU, 6-5

UConn baseball came up just short of a series sweep in the third game of the weekend against Old Dominion, falling 6-5 in Norfolk, VA.

Down three in the top of the eighth, UConn knocked in two runs and had two runners in scoring position representing the go-ahead run, but tallied two straight outs to put down its hopes of securing a series sweep for the first time this season.

Making his fourth start of the season, Oliver Pudvar struggled across three innings of work, allowing four earned runs on six hits. The appearance marked a step back in what has been an up-and-down season so far for the redshirt junior after back-to-back starts of five-plus innings with two or fewer earned runs.

Pudvar struck out four and didn’t walk a batter, but the weekend starter left something to be desired as he earned his third loss of the season.

Chris Polemeni continued his incredible start to the season. Coming into the contest batting .389, the outfielder went just 1 of 4 but made his lone hit count. On a full count in the top of the first inning with a runner on second, Polemeni lined a ball to the bleachers in left field that got out in the blink of an eye. The College of Staten Island’s first Husky home run gave UConn an early 2-0 lead. Polemeni also stole a base in the third inning, extending his team lead to eight.

The top of the Monarchs’ lineup got them on the board quickly. Center fielder TJ Aiken lifted a solo shot to the opposite field in left in the first inning. Two innings later, second baseman Maverick Stallings hit his second long ball in two days. Another oppo-shot, this time to right center, plated three runs as it took center fielder Nater Wachter all the way to the wall before sneaking into the bleachers. That gave the hosts a 4-2 lead.

Evan Menzel had an RBI on a fielder’s choice in the fourth to make it 4-3, but Aiken responded with an RBI liner past a diving Menzel in the bottom of the frame, and first baseman Zach Leite added a solo shot over a jumping Wachter in the fifth to make it 6-3.

Relief pitcher Charlie Hale surrendered both RBI hits, giving up an earned run for the first time since the season-opening road trip to Arizona. Elsewhere in relief, JT Caruso made his season debut while Sean Finn and Austin Trumpour each pitched in a scoreless inning.

The last real chance for the Huskies came in the top of the eighth. After Jackson Marshall led off the inning with a single and Nater Wachter reached via error, Gabriel Tirado shot a single down the right field line to the wall to bring Marshall in and make it a two-run game.

One batter later, Cam Righi grounded a single of his own through the hole between first and second to plate Wachter and advance pinch runner Anthony Belisario to third. Righi proceeded to swipe second for his second steal of the game, but Chase Taylor struck out swinging, and Rob Rispoli lined out to second to end the threat, a run short of tying it up.

Marshall singled again with two outs in the ninth, but pinch runner Peyton Jemison found himself in a rundown after a pickoff move by closer Kellen Davis. Jemison was thrown out going back to first by Stallings to end it.

The Huskies will return home on Tuesday for the second one-off home game of their season, hosting Boston College at Elliot Ballpark with the temperature set to hit the mid-60s. First pitch is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. The game will stream live on UCONN+