HookC Battles For First Place at St. John’s

QUEENS, N.Y. – The UConn baseball team (23-17, 8-4 BIG EAST) battles for first place in the BIG EAST with a three-game set at St. John’s (20-17, 6-3 BIG EAST). 

The series has been altered due to inclement weather on Saturday. The series kicks off with a doubleheader on Friday, April 25 at 1 p.m. and finishes with the series finale on Sunday, April 27 at 1 p.m.

The Huskies and Red Storm are tied atop the BIG EAST standings with Xavier (8-4) and Creighton (6-3).

UConn enters the series riding a season-long 10-game win streak after defeating UMass and Army in the midweek. 

The UConn pitching staff ranks 31st in the country with 9.9 strikeouts per nine this season. The last five games the UConn pitchers have recorded double digit strikeout efforts with 17 total games this year. 11 UConn pitchers have more strikeouts than innings pitched this season. Ian Cooke leads the Huskies with 53 strikeouts, Pudvar has 52 and Afthim has 40.

The Huskies rank 12th in the country with 100 stolen bases this season. Caleb Shpur leads the way with 30 bags, ranking eighth nationally. Sam Biller has 16 SB, Rispoli with 14, Minick with 10, Daniels with 9 and Dougherty with 8. The 100 stolen bases with 15 games to play already ranks 7th most in program history.The Huskies are averaging 2.50 stolen bases per game.

Rob Rispoli has been a spark at the top of the UConn order this season. The shortstop has been named to the Brooks Wallace Watch List, an award given to the best SS in college baseball. The redshirt freshman is hitting .324 with a team best .474 on-base percentage. The UConn SS leadd the team with 26 walks and 13 hit by pitches. He has also stolen 14 bases this year. 

Ryan Daniles has had a breakout junior senior after dealing with injuries his first two seasons in Storrs. He is currently in a hot stretch with four home runs in the last three games. He registered his first career multi-homer game against Army with a two-run HR and grand slam to total a career-high six RBI. The Meriden, CT native is hitting .339 with 38 runs scored (tied for team lead), 10 doubles (leads team), two triples, eight home runs and 38 runs batted in. The infield/outfielder has a .447 OBP.

In the series finale at FAU, Daniels hit the go-ahead two-run home run in the 10th inning to lift UConn to its first win of the year. The home run was part of the first career four-hit game for the infielder/outfielder. Daniels followed up that performance with a game-tying home run against No. 14 Vanderbilt to eventually earn the Huskies a ranked win. 

Sophomore Tyler Minick has already taken a big jump from his freshman to sophomore year. The Reading, Pa. native is hitting .346 batting average, 12 home runs and 41 runs batted in. The corner INF has a career-high with 18 walks and is slugging at a .692 clip. Minick recorded a multi-homer game in the series opener against Seton Hall. The sophomore already has four career grand slams with two of them this season (FAU & Creighton).

Long time Husky Bryan Padilla registered his 200th career hit with a double in the 8th inning against Creighton in the series opener. Padilla becomes the 24th Husky in programa history to reach the 200-hit mark. The Brooklyn, N.Y. native has played in 212 games with the Huskies and racked up 212 career hits including 24 home runs. The infielder has scored 139 runs, driven in 150 runs and walked 109 times.

Games Played

Chris Winkel, 2017-21    243

Billy Ferriter, 2010-2013    242

Mike Nemeth, 2008-11    241

Bobby Melley, 2013-16    241

Bryan Daniello, 2013-16    224

John Topaa, 2016-19    222

Pat Mahoney, 2005-08    217

LJ Mazzilli, 2010-13    212

Bryan Padilla, 2022-25    212

Hits

Mike Nemeth, 2008-11    331

LJ Mazzilli 2010-13    295

Bobby Melley, 2013-16.    290

Billy Ferriter 2010-13    288

George Springer, 2009-11    242

Pierre LePage, 2008-10    237

John Toppa, 2016-19    237

Dennis Donovan, 2004-07    236

Pat Mahoney, 2005-08    233

Clarke Caudill, 1997-00    232

Todd Rosenthal, 1989-92    227

Anthony Prato, 2017-19    227

Chris Winkel, 2017-21    222

Vinny Siena, 2013-15    221

Bryan Daniello, 2013-16.    212

Bryan Padilla, 2022-25    212

Walks

Sean Irey, 1991-94    143

Jack Sundberg, 2013-16    134

Mike Nemeth, 2008-11    134

Bobby Melley, 2013-16    132

George Springer, 2009-11    128

Bryan Padlla, 2022-2025    109

UConn closer Brady Afthim has been one of the top closers in the country. The RHP is ranked No. 15 by D1Baseball.com on the top 100 closers list. He has been named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List. 

Afthim has appeared in 15 games for UConn this year and is 1-1 with eight saves and leads the team with a 1.40 ERA. In 25.2 innings, the Windham, Maine native has allowed four earned run and struck out 40 batters while holding opponents to a .218 average against. The tri-captain has now appeared in 85 games, ranking 4th all-time in program history. The 16 career saves he has registered is 9th all-time.

Saves

Justin Willis, 2021-23    28

Mike James, 2001-04    22

Kevin Vance, 2009-11    21

Patrick Ruotolo, 2014-16    20

David Erickson, 2005-09    20

Jacob Wallace, 2017-19    19

Matt Karl, 2005-08    18

P.J. Poulin, 2016-18    16

Brady Afthim, 2022-2025    14

Appearances

Dan Feehan, 2010-13.    96

David Erickson, 2005-09    87

CJ Dandeneau, 2016-19    87

Brady Afthim, 2022-2025    85

Ian Cooke has struggled to start his 2025 campaign but the 2024 BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year has looked strong in seven relief appearance. The New Milford, Conn. native has pitched 20.0 innings, allowed three earned runs, walked five and struck out  batters. Cooke closed out the middle game of the series at Xavier with 3.0 shutout innings to earn his first save of the year. In BIG EAST play, Cooke has recorded three saves and one win with all four of those outings lasting 3.0 innings or more. The senior has logged 200.2 career innings and recorded 15 wins on the mound for the Huskies. He currently has 231 strikeouts, ranking sixth in program history. 

Strikeouts

Mason Feole, 2017-19    278

Tim Cate, 2016-18    270

Anthony Kay, 2014-16    263

Ian Cooke, 2022-2025    252

 RHP Sean Finn has become a back end of the bullpen piece for the Huskies this season. The RHP leads the team with five wins in 13 appearances and four starts. The Warrington, Pa. product has a 3.10 ERA in 20.1 innings and struck out 31 while holding opponents to a .200 batting average against. 

Against Seton Hall, Finn earned a pair of wins out of the bullpen to help the Huskies sweep the series. He combined for 5.1 innings with just two hits, 0 earned runs and struck out 11.

Greg Shaw III has been another Manhattan transfer (Pudvar) that has made his impact felt in his first season in Storrs. The RHP leads the staff with 19 appearances and has a 4.11 ERA. In 35.0 innings, he has 31 strikeouts and held opponents to a .233 batting average against. Shaw earned his first save as a Husky by closing out the series finale at UNC Greensboro and earned his first win with 3.0 innings of work at Boston College. 

CF Caleb Shpur has been one of the best CF’s in the country according to defensive runs saved. The East Canaan, CT native is third amongst CF’s with 9.70 defensive runs saved this season. 

The UConn outfielder also leads the team and the BIG EAST Conference with 30 stolen bases after stealing 26 bases a year ago. The 30 stolen bases is 8th in the nation and is also climbing the single-season list for most stolen bases in a UConn single season.

Stolen Bases

Dennis Dwyer, 1993………….. 40

David Smith, 2023……………. 39

Dennis Dwyer, 1994………….. 39

Nick Ahmed, 2010 ……………. 34

Billy Ferriter, 2010 ……………. 33

Jack Sundberg, 2015 ………… 33

George Springer, 2010 ………. 33

George Springer, 2011 ………. 31

Jon Gorrie, 2002 ……………… 31

Brian Specyalski, 1989………. 31

Caleb Shpur, 2025……………. 30